Sun Sep 15 11:21:26 UTC 2024: ## 97-Year-Old “Amazing Grace” Still Volunteering at Hospital After 8 Decades
**Allentown, PA** – Grace Carr, a 97-year-old resident of Allentown, has been a fixture at St. Luke’s Sacred Heart Campus for nearly her entire life. From starting her nursing training there in 1944 at the age of 17, to her current role as a dedicated volunteer, Carr’s commitment to the hospital has spanned eight decades.
“As long as I can remember, I wanted to be a nurse and work in a hospital,” says Carr, who spent her childhood playing doctor with her brother and caring for her dolls.
After retiring from her nursing career in 1989, Carr returned to the hospital in 1993 as a volunteer. She’s logged over 6,000 hours, brightening patients’ days with fresh flowers, assisting with tasks like transporting them to tests and procedures, and even delivering specimens to the lab.
“We call her Amazing Grace,” says Beth Fogel, the hospital’s volunteer engagement specialist. “She’s like an Energizer Bunny, always eager to help and so much fun to be around.”
Carr, who grew up in a small coal town, moved to Allentown to pursue her nursing dreams at the Sacred Heart School of Nursing. During World War II, she served as a cadet nurse, receiving government-subsidized tuition in exchange for her service. After graduating in 1947 and marrying her high school sweetheart, she worked the night shift at the hospital for nearly 20 years, raising a family of five children along the way.
Despite the challenges and emotional toll of her career, Carr finds joy in the impact she’s made. “I loved helping people and felt grateful to be doing something I loved,” she says.
Her passion has inspired her daughter, Grace Loring, who worked in the hospital’s pediatric ward for 35 years. “Watching my mom’s dedication to and passion for nursing inspired me to go into healthcare,” Loring says.
Carr’s dedication to the hospital and its staff has brought her a sense of purpose and lasting friendships. “The secret to finding a job you love is quite simple,” she advises, “Work with people you like.”
Carr’s story is a testament to the power of positive relationships and finding meaning in work. As she says, “For me, nursing isn’t a job, it’s a calling.”
First Piper 