Caring for others was second nature to Marilyn Napier after 50 years in nursing. So when she stepped away from a full-time career, she applied her gift for reassuring and encouraging others to a new role as a volunteer at Aultman Alliance Community Hospital.

Since February 2017, Marilyn has been a calming presence in the hospital’s surgical waiting area. Her current shift is Monday mornings. She introduces herself to families, listens to their concerns and offers coffee, tea, blankets and other comfort items as they await word on their loved one’s surgery. She answers their questions and makes sure that they are kept informed throughout their time in the waiting area.

Marilyn also helps families find their way around the hospital. When a physician is ready to talk with the family, Marilyn walks the family to the consult room. If their loved one has been admitted to the hospital, she helps them locate the right patient room.

A naturally outgoing and optimistic person, Marilyn is grateful to have the chance to help families cope with difficult situations. Her favorite aspect of volunteering is meeting new people.

“I have never met a stranger,” she said. “I was taught to smile and stay positive. That attitude helps when I meet the family in surgical waiting. They are stressed and need to talk with a friendly person.”

Marilyn began her nursing career in Hamilton, Ohio, after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in nursing from The Ohio State University. She soon moved with her husband to Kentucky, where she worked as a nurse in coronary care and then joined a public health department in diabetes education. After a stint as an emergency room manager in Indiana, Marilyn moved back to Ohio.

Marilyn enjoys adventure. When she returned to Ohio, she accepted a position as a travel nurse, which gave her the opportunity to serve in communities throughout the United States in areas as far-ranging as Hawaii, the Navajo Nation and Florida.

She celebrated her 70th birthday by zip-lining at Hocking Hills. “I wanted to try a new experience,” she said. “The hardest part was at the end. I had to rappel down to the ground after going from tree platform to tree platform eight times.”

Today, Marilyn works part time with the Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities (Stark DD). She plans to retire from Stark DD in 2025.

Marilyn and her husband have been married for 50 years. They have an adult daughter and son and nine grandchildren. Outside of work and volunteering, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, traveling, reading and gardening.

Visit Volunteering at Aultman for more information on how to become an essential part of the Aultman team as a volunteer.