Staff Feature Friday

Today is Staff Feature Friday! Today we’re getting to know the lovely Margaret Stewart, a Health Unit Coordinator in our Critical Care Waiting Area.

How long have you worked at Parkwest? 10 years as staff in Critical Care Waiting and before that 2½ years as volunteer in surgery waiting.  I started at Parkwest after retiring from a 35 year career in Oak Ridge.

Why do you love working at Parkwest?  I am a people person and it makes me feel good for family members in Critical Care to tell me about their concerns so I can better assist them. I love making family connections because I understand what they are going through and how difficult it is for them to have a patient in Critical Care.

Where are you from? I’m a native of Roane County – I have lived in Kingston for 47 years.

Do you prefer cats or dogs? Cats. When I was growing up I had an outside cat named America and I loved to call out to America when it was time to eat.

What is your favorite book? The Bible. I have several devotional books including Parkwest’s Associate Chaplain Bob Winton’s, Moments with the Master, Daily Devotional for Seniors, that he self-published a few years back.

What is your favorite dish at Christmas meals? Baked ham. It’s a tradition to have turkey for Thanksgiving and baked ham for Christmas.

Would you choose a free trip or money? If I were younger I would love to travel, but at my age (I will be 90 in November), I would make better use of the money.

What is your favorite hobby? Singing and playing the piano. In my younger days I sang with the Kingstonettes for 45 years. We made records in New York in the 1960s and sang at the White House in early 1970s. Everybody on my mother’s side of the family loved to sing. She was one of 12 children and they all sang and played instruments. Music and singing has always been in my blood.