LARNED — Tuesday afternoon’s Years of Service event was a bittersweet mixture of remembrance, honor and gratitude as staff members and administration paid tribute to their own at the Larned State Hospital Auditorium.
After gathering for lunch, LSH Superintendent Dr. Linsey Dinkel and Scott Brunner, Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services deputy secretary, gave introductory remarks leading to special dedication presentations to the families of Dr. Tomas Garza as well as Jackson, the hospital’s retired therapy dog, for their significant contributions while employed at LSH.
Dr. Garza dedication
A memorial plaque and Kansas and American flags were presented to the family of Dr. Tomas Garza, who was shot and killed March 30 at his rural property south of Larned.
In presenting the memorial plaque, Dr. Michael Burke, LSH Chief Medical Officer, described Dr. Garza as a “force of nature” in his role as supervisor of primary medical care at LSH.
“Dr. Garza had been at Larned State Hospital since September 2012 in the role of Supervisor of Primary Medical Care,” Dr. Burke noted. “He did a tremendous job almost single-handedly leading LSH through a difficult and somewhat precarious period from 2012-2016 and played a critical role in LSH’s COVID-19 pandemic response.
“Dr. Garza was respected for his broad medical knowledge and pragmatic decision making. He was tireless in promoting and supporting the mission to have LSH provide the best possible care to our patients and residents.
“His personality was bigger than life and he was a force of nature. He touched every life he worked with through enthusiasm, sincerity and emotion. We will all remember him collectively and also uniquely, based on how he touched our lives.”
Dr. Garza also served in the Marine Corps from 1990-1994 and was thus awarded with a State of Kansas Flag and United States Flag, both of which had been flown at their respective Capitol buildings in Garza’s honor.
As the State of Kansas Flag was presented, Dr. Dinkel read the certification provided by Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab. “To all whom these presents shall come, Greetings: I, Scott Schwab, Kansas Secretary of State, do hereby certify that the official flag of the State of Kansas, which accompanies this certificate, was flown over the State Capitol on the third day of April in the Year of our Lord two thousand and twenty-four at the request of Larned State Hospital in memory of Dr. Tomas Garza.”
As the United States Flag was presented, Dr. Dinkel read: “This is to certify that the accompanying flag was flown over the United States Capitol. This flag was flown at the request of the Honorable Tracey Mann, Member of Congress, in honor of Dr. Tomas Garza’s service as a Marine and to the patients and staff of Larned State Hospital.”
Jackson’s dedication
In her dedication, Dr. Dinkel noted that Jackson was just “what the patients, residents and staff at LSH needed to help get through the day and some of our trying times.” She noted that during the pandemic, Jackson’s human caretaker Rob Munden “would drive up in his vehicle and there Jackson would be sitting in the passenger seat like an actual human being heading off to work for another day,” and the dog would hop out of the vehicle, go through the door that his campus caretakers held open, and head in to work.
Jackson provided eight years of service to the state of Kansas, retiring with the right amount of KPERS points. Upon retirement, he returned to the Munden home, where he resided until passing away in June 2024.
Jackson’s biography, certificate and LSH ID badge were then presented to the Munden family in recognition of his service.
Employees of the quarter
Tricia Ryan, IT, Kevin Evers, MHDD, Todd Mantel, SPTP monitor, Leslie Brown, PSP social worker, Dr. Debra Vondracek, PSP clinical program director.
Employee of the Year
Chianna Hemken, State Security Program Administrative Program director, received the Employee of the Year Award for 2023.
In 2023, Hemken assisted in expanding the outpatient/mobile competency program, going “above and beyond her job duties to ensure the program is successful.
LSH Years of Service awards
In the years of service portion of the afternoon, 5 years of service awards were presented to the following Sodexo Food Service employees: Angela Bronson, April Dorall, Beverly Boman, Jennifer Moore, Megan Durland, Norman Munn Jr., Ray Colglazier, Tonya Wysong and Valery Posey.
10-year service awards
The following 10-year service awards were presented to LSH employees: Alexander Schmidt, SPTP AT, Amanda May Hearn, PSP AT, Andela D. Murrow, SPTP LPN, Anneda M. Mossberg, MHDD, Curtis Wagner, SPTP CTS, Dallas Koepernich SPTP LPN, Dallas Morrow, HR professional, Jannifer L. Boucher, SPTP clinician, Kristina Rose, SPTP property officer, Natalie Burrell, SPTP AT, Patricia Ford, CIM,Dr. REgina Miles, PSP M.D., Robert D. Alford Jr., SPTP AT,
Ruby “Roxanne” McReynolds, September Martin, SPTP RN, Shanda McCrary, CIM, Shawn P. Casey, MHDD, Stephanee Krom, CIM Director, Susanne Prescott, Asst. HR director, Terry Vignery, Safety & Security, Ty Weber, MHDD.
20-year service awards
The following 20-year service awards were presented: Chianna Hemken, SSP Administrative Program director, Diana Kay Keller, SPTP CTS, Lance C. Hagerman, SPTP community outing specialist, Meriah Fulls, MHDD, Richard Wagner, Asst. risk manager, Robert Parry Sr., MHDD, Shona Helms, MHDD, Tracy Hands, engineering general maintenance & repair tech.
30-year service awards
The following 30-year service awards were presented: Cherie D. Eakin, SPTP AT, Katherine Nicholson, Clinic Nurse LPN Sr., Lynn Streit, SPTP Clinic Nurse RN Sr., Stan Morton, Engineering Physical Plant supervisor.
