StettlerLocal.com May 19, 2022 @ 3:50pm
A medical career that spanned thirty-four years, and three countries, came to a well-deserved end in 1983.
Mary Cecilia Didrichsen (McDermott) was born in Northern Ireland in the late 1920s. Before coming to Stettler, she became a registered nurse in Manchester, England. She began working for the Stettler Hospital Complex in 1954 and continued there until 1983.
Mrs. Didrichsen’s career started in 1949 after graduating as an R.N from St. Luke’s Hospital, Guildford, Surrey, England. She spent a year at Poplar Hospital in London and Bannview Hospital, Coleraine County, Derry, Ireland. Before coming to Alberta, she would spend two years in the operating room in Manchester, England. Didrichsen came to Carmangay, Alberta, before continuing to Calgary, where she took a job at Holy Cross Hospital. After coming to live in Stettler, she would spend her career as both a full-time and part-time local hospital employee.
In celebration of her retirement, a tea was held in the conference room above the Dr. A.E. Kennedy Auxiliary Hospital building with present and former members of the town’s Medical Staff. Didrichsen was recognized for her years of dedicated service and continuous efforts to the community's health and well-being as the executive director of the Stettler Hospital, Mr. Ron Richards, presented her with an engraved plaque from the hospital. Dr. N.K Karia presented her with a crystal bowl from the medical staff, and Mrs. Carol Gillespie presented her with a gold watch also on behalf of the hospital staff.
Her husband, Finn, was also a long-time employee of the Hospital complex, and he retired around the same time.
Carson Ellis, Local Historian
Our Town Stettler