An Enduring
Legacy
For almost 70 years, Thomas Memorial
Hospital has been providing comprehensive
care in the Kanawha Valley. Named for World
War II hero Sergeant Herbert J. Thomas Jr.
in 1946, the hospital has developed from
a single entity to an innovative system that
includes 403 beds, nearly 2,000 employees
and 450 physicians.
The example of putting others first that
Thomas set when he sacrificed his life
for his fellow soldiers during WWII is the
premise for the hospital’s philosophy for
patient care and has inspired continued
growth of the facility in order to fulfill the
hospital’s mission.
As part of that growth, Thomas Health
System has plans in the works to add a
71,000-square-foot post-acute care facility
to its campus. Born out of a partnership
with Stonerise Healthcare, the $17 million
project will be the first of its kind in the
Mountain State and region.
This new facility will provide a continuum of
care through acute, post-acute and home
health care for patients. The first floor will
house pulmonary rehab, cardiac telemetry
rehab and joint replacement rehab, and the
second floor will focus on wound care, cancer
and palliative care and long-term care.
“So many times, a patient needs additional
care or a step-down unit,” says Paige
Johnson, marketing director for Thomas
Health System. “This new transitional care
facility will provide that with a continuity of
care with their doctors without duplicative
tests that would normally occur when a
patient is transferred to another facility.”
The acute-care facility will also positively
impact the local economy and aid in
revitalizing South Charleston’s west end by
creating up to 100 new jobs. Construction
on the facility is projected to begin in 2016.
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west virginia executive
Brian Ulery, the hospital’s new chief
operating officer and a retired Hospital
Corpsman Third Class in the U.S. Navy
Reserve, was briefed on the hospital’s
history during his employee orientation
last year. When WWII veteran Corporal
Hershal Woodrow “Woody” Williams
offered to donate his Medal of Honor
flag to be put on permanent display at the
hospital, it planted a seed in Ulery’s mind.
“I believed we had an obligation to
thoroughly honor Thomas, West Virginia’s first Medal of Honor recipient, in a
way that left little doubt of the heroism
that so inspired the community of South
Charleston,” says Ulery. “My time in the
military instilled in me a great deal of
respect for those who serve this nation,
and I am committed to respecting those
who have given and honoring those who
have given all.”
The display, located in the hallway that
connects the old part of the hospital with
the new pavilion, includes a variety of
unique memorabilia, including Thomas’
original Medal of Honor, Purple Heart
and Freedom Award; the original letter of
citation from President Franklin D. Roosevelt and Williams’ Medal of Honor flag.
The hall also serves as a historical account
of Thomas’ life. The collection of pictures
on display showcases his early school days
as a football star at South Charleston High
School, Greenbrier Military Academy and
Virginia Tech University, as well as the
legacy of his tour in the Marines and how
he selflessly gave his life for his comrades.
ABOVE: A veteran salutes Corporal Hershel
Woodrow “Woody” Williams’ legacy.
BELOW: Corporal Hershel Woodrow “Woody” Williams.
As a Marine, WWII veteran and native
West Virginian, Williams believes the Hall
of Honor is important because few West
Virginians know of Thomas’ valor and
sacrifice for their freedom.
“West Virginians take great pride
in the United States military, and most
families here have at least one connection to someone that is serving or who
has served,” says Ulery. “By reminding
our community of the brave men and
women who have come before us, I truly
hope it inspires us all to be better in everything we do.”