Devoted JMH Volunteer Mary Alsing Passes at 100

SOMERS, CT — The north-central Connecticut towns of Somers and Stafford are mourning the passing of one of the most dedicated volunteers in state history - one half of an incredible duo known as "The Two Marys."

Mary Alsing, who was the longest-serving volunteer at Johnson Memorial Hospital with over 40 years of service, passed away May 2 at her Somers home. She was just 25 days shy of her 101st birthday.

Logging over 11,000 volunteer hours in her four-plus decades at the Stafford medical center, mainly on the Med/Surg floors, Alsing spent her later years working Tuesdays and Wednesdays, distributing juice to patients from a cart in the mornings and working in the dietary department office in the afternoons.

Over the years, she helped with numerous projects and events, including health fairs, disaster drills, screenings, tours and the children's holiday party. She was also a longtime Auxilian.

Born May 27, 1917 in Monkton, Ontario, a small Canadian town just over 100 miles west of Toronto, Alsing endured numerous hardships associated with growing up during the Great Depression. She married Pete Halfnight in 1941, but sadly, he passed away just a year after the birth of their daughter, Susan.

She persevered as a single mom, moving to Hartford in 1959 and marrying Carl Alsing, head of the Department of Electrical Engineering at the University of Hartford, in 1965. He eventually became dean of the College of Engineering, and passed away in 2004 at age 98.

The Alsings became involved in volunteerism, leading Mary to the hospital and a remarkable tenure that encompassed numerous changes in the healthcare industry, as well as providing her with a sidekick named Mary Guglielmo.

Guglielmo, mother of state Sen. Tony Guglielmo, is the second longest-serving volunteer in JMH history with 36 years. She and Alsing were born 16 days apart, during World War I, and "The Two Marys" received numerous accolades in the past few years as they attained their centennial milestones.

In May 2017, the duo was presented the President’s Volunteer Service Award, which distinguishes individuals who have contributed more than 4,000 hours of service in their lifetime. A month later, the Connecticut Hospital Association recognized "The Two Marys" as 2017 Healthcare Heroes.

"Mary was a wonderful lady; I got to meet her family on many occasions," Tony Guglielmo said. "She was a totally amazing person. She drove to Manhattan on a regular basis until she was almost 100. The hospital was family for her. She was a very dignified, very classy lady, and the hospital was very lucky to have her."

In late 2016, the University of Saint Joseph nursing department awarded Alsing a “Certificate of Appreciation and Gratitude for Lifelong Dedication to the Care and Wellbeing of Others.”

"Mary was a very dedicated and committed volunteer at Johnson Memorial Hospital for 42 years," said Stuart Rosenberg, president of the hospital, a member of Trinity Health of New England. "She provided over 11,000 volunteer hours helping to make our patients more comfortable. She will be deeply missed."

Alsing is survived by her daughter, a sister, three granddaughters and numerous other relatives.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, May 9 at 1 p.m. at Somers Congregational Church, where she was a longtime member of the choir.

Photo courtesy of Leete-Stevens Family Funeral Homes