Neighbor News
Dolores A. (McBride) Woodford Memorial Scholarship for Nurses
One Year Later: Easton Resident /Brockton Area Nurse with Career Spanning 60 Years Honored Through Local Scholarship for Aspiring Nurses
Energetic 83-year-old Dolores Woodford, who still worked part time as a nurse, lost a valiant battle to COVID-19 one year ago on April 7, 2020, but her family and friends will continue to honor her work and memory through a local scholarship for aspiring nurses.
Dolores epitomized the passion and values of nursing during an amazing 60-year career, much of it in the Brockton area. A member of the Lemuel Shattuck School of Practical Nursing of the Class of 1958, Dolores moved to Brockton with her family where she spent 28 years at Good Samaritan Hospital (starting in 1970), 5 ½ years at Signature Medical Center, and her last three years at Rheumatology Consultants. Dolores had tried retirement but decided it was not for her and returned joyfully to the profession that inspired her!
Over the course of her years in nursing, Dolores treasured mentoring, and many nurses in the Brockton area today reaped the benefits of Dolores’ expertise and willingness to teach others. One year, nursing assistant students from Southeastern Regional High School needed to practice giving IVs: Dolores rolled up her sleeves and said, “Here, stick me; I’ll teach you how to do it.” Those students then invited her to speak at their graduation, an opportunity during which Dolores conveyed her passion to the next generation; most importantly, she described barriers of education she faced and encouraged them to hold dear every learning experience and that they too could achieve their goals.
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Five Southeastern Regional High School graduates were awarded scholarships in her name in June 2020, and her family will again offer the scholarship to two SER 2021 graduates who will pursue nursing; Dolores experienced financial hardship on her journey to become a nurse and would love that a scholarship in her honor may ease that burden for future nursing students.
Donations in Dolores’ memory may be made to the Delores (McBride) Woodford Memorial Scholarship c/o 546 Maple Street, Mansfield, MA 02048. For more information, contact lisajolicoeu@gmail.com. (updated 4/3/21)