115th Anniversary Celebration - Healdsburg Hospital

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The 115^th anniversary celebration is a time to reflect on our history and the important moments and people that make up the story of our hospital.

Your Stories that make Our History

Healdsburg District Hospital has a long and rich history to celebrate filled with stories of people who cared for and where cared by the members of this community.
We invite you to share your stories with us and will post them here on our website and on social media as part of our celebration.

Are you an official local?

From 1905- 2001 Healdsburg physicians made house calls or performed deliveries in their maternity ward, welcoming the newest members of the Healdsburg community into the world. In 1945 alone, 244 babies were delivered with an estimation of nearly 20,000 local h-burgers made right here at home! Let us know if you are a Healdsburg Baby and email your story to gfabiano@nschd.org

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Dr. Dave Anderson

Here is a reason I love Healdsburg District Hospital: the nursing staff!!!

For 38 years I practiced medicine in Healdsburg, and almost everyday I would have a patient in Healdsburg Hospital. So I would go in to make morning rounds, and ask, say, Nurse Joan, “How is Mrs Smith today?”
And Nurse Joan would say, “She is doing better, temperature is now normal and she is eating better.”
But then came her sentence that showed me why the nursing staff at HDH is its strong point: “But she is not my patient, she is Jan’s patient.”

In other words, every nurse there knew the condition of every patient there! That is certainly not the way it is at larger hospitals. When my patients had been at other hospitals, they would usually have a different nurse every day, and that nurse would thus have to learn about their illness and condition each day. While at HDH, usually the patient had the same nurse each day, or a nurse that knew their condition. Likely the nurses had met their family that visited, knew their food and activity preferences, and knew well their medical conditions.

So my patients told me often that they strongly preferred HDH to their other hospital experiences.

As I have said many times, the strength of HDH is the nursing staff!

HBG Baby Jane Rosenberg

I call myself a Healdsburger! Rosenberg & Bush (my family’s store) sold t-shirt with “HEALDS” between two buns, with condiments of course!

HBG Baby Linda Cade

I was born in Healdsburg. 1965. Spent weekends and summers here after my parents divorce. The weather was the same as it is today. Hot sometimes, cold sometimes. We spent a lot of time with family at the river, Fitch Mountain and Memorial Beach. My dad, graduate of HBG high school, called us Healdsburg Brush Oakies and we are also Greyhounds, Prune Packers, and people from Healdsburg.

HBG Baby Janet Del Fava

I was born in 1963 at Healdsburg Hospital, Johnson St. My mother was a nurse for Dr. Ed Neal. He did not deliver me, but was my family doctor from about 1966 until he retired. Tom Neal, his son, is still my doctor.

The best part of that hospital was it being so close to my family home’s. Sherman, Johnson and Grant Streets. Any bump, bruise or contusion….the hospital was just a couple blocks away. Stitches, no problem, Doc Neal was there in a flash!

HBG Baby Robert Lownes

My dad was born in Healdsburg in a home in July 1918 . Today He is celebrating his 102 birthday in Windsor. He is blessed to be able to care for himself. He has seen many things in Healdsburg over the years!

Dr. Ed Neal

Our hospital from its inception always been a beacon of quality health care sensitive to the patients’ medical needs

HBG Baby Danielle Allbritton

I was born at Healdsburg Hospital in 1984 and have lived in Healdsburg ever since.

HBG Baby Vye Bigham

I was born in the hospital on Johnson Street in February 1945.

Healdsburg was the absolutely perfect place to grow up. You knew everyone or at least who they were related to. I remember when the fire department was where the movie theater is now.

HBG Grandma Vickie Stefani

My grandson was one of the last babies born at Healdsburg Hospital before closing their maternity ward in 1998.

HBG Mom Myrtle Rochioli

I’m not a Healdsburg native. I’ve only lived here since 1982 with my husband, who is. But both my children are Healdsburg natives, born in the “new” hospital on University. Giving birth there meant that there was very personalized care in an uncrowded, calm atmosphere. Not unlike my experiences in the emergency room at HDH, where I have always felt like the staff had the time and resources to focus on my injury or illness. There is simply no comparison to an emergency room in a larger city hospital.

Dr. Dan Rose

If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it painfully clear how important our health care workers and facilities are. It’s unimaginable to think, in this day and age, that you might be gasping for breath, only to be told that there are no hospital beds available, and that you will have to be shipped to some other state to get ventilator care. Cherish the people who have devoted their lives to saving yours, and the facilities they need to show you how much they genuinely care.

HBG Baby Julie St John

I was born at the ‘old’ Healdsburg Hospital in 1960-60 years ago last May 8. I lived on Maxwell Street right on the corner at Powell for my first four years. I remember visiting the hospital when my sister Lisa was born and looking up at my mom holding her-the hospital was two floors I believe but when you are 2 1/2 it looked so far away! While I moved one town over (Geyserville) for my growing up years and attended Healdsburg High I moved back to Healdsburg for good in 1988.

HBG Baby Kyle Cott

I was born at Healdsburg Hospital, delivered by Dr. Ed Neal. So very grateful to be born into this community. I still have my close group of friends, we’ve all been best friends for over 30 years which is a super rarity these days it seems. We’ve always heard the term Healdsburgian for local natives… A lot has changed in our small town, and I’m grateful for the changes and excited to see what’s next! Still it makes me proud to be able to live here and work here and give back to the community whenever I can. ❤️

HBG Baby Pat Bean

My friends were born at Healdsburg General 81 years ago in September 1938. We still meet in the park and remain great friends. One was born before midnight, the other after. Leon Dalcolletto and Darla Zunino Sowash. Talk about Healdsburg friends forever. We all graduated from HHS and went to grade school together. We are truly Healdsburgers.

HBG Baby Terry Rochioli

I was born in 1954 at HGH when it was on Johnson St. You cannot recognize the old location now.

HBG Baby Cathy Rivas

I was born in Healdsburg in 1971 when Healdsburg General Hospital was at 629 Johnson Street, not on University Ave. I was raised in our once small town when Safeway was where Rite Aid resides now, when where Safeway, Dollar Tree, Carl’s Jr., Exchange Bank etc. reside now was a prune orchard, when we had a hamburger restaurant called Artic Circle which also sold fried chicken, when we had JC Penny ( which is now a theater ) when we only had the Raven theater where other types of shows are made. When Healdsburg was not a tourist attraction (tourist attractions only existed if you went to Disneyland or Marine World )

When Taqueria El Sombrero was the Greyhound Bus station, when Kin Smoke was Salami Tree Deli, when Big Johns Market was a grocery store called D-Mart, when CVS was Longs Drugs, and Molsberry Supermarket, I can go on and on. I was born a Native of Healdsburg, but I don’t call myself a Healdsburger or Healdsburgian, I’m just a Native of Healdsburg Born and raised.

HBG Baby Rita Cordova

I was also born in Healdsburg. At the same location of the Healdsburg General Hospital on Johnson Street on April 3rd, 1957. Where the new houses and condos are replacing the once standing structure.

I use to ride my bike every where in town running errands for my Mom and for fun too. I remember all the places just as you speak of. I also call myself a native of Healdsburg. Because that is what I am, a native. I and my family of origin parents- Evaristo and Lucy Mar, are part of the history of this town and always will be.

I attended St. John’s Catholic School 1st-8th grade. My first paying job (other than babysitting) was at the local Arctic Circle. I took orders, served and cashiered. I met some good friends there. The Healdsburg Plaza was across the street from where I lived. My apartment-home was where Hotel Healdsburg now stands on the second floor many years ago. I moved back to Healdsburg in 2009 after being gone for 30 years. I will never be able to forget how it was. I do appreciate how it is now. Even though, it is an undeniable tourist destination spot. I love my hometown ❤️