On Monday November 20, 2023, the Nurses Honor Guard of East Central Alabama had the privilege of honoring an extraordinary nurse, Mrs. Joan Duffett RN.
Joan began her nursing career after graduating from the Mountainside Hospital Nursing School in Montclair, New Jersey in 1952. She served in many different fields of nursing: hospital medical/surgical, private physician office, nursing home, and adult day care facilities. Joan was well-known for always being an advocate for the underserved. After finding a great need for adult day care services in the Athens, GA area, she was pivotal in expanding adult day care programs in the area through the Athens Community Council on Aging.
Joan’s journey in nursing was more than a profession; it was a calling that she embraced with passion and purpose. Throughout her career, she became a pillar of strength and solace for those in need. Joan’s commitment to her patients went beyond the clinical; she saw the humanity in every individual, offering not just medical care but a healing presence.
Joan’s bright and brilliant soul was a beacon of compassion and care, and her nursing legacy will forever echo in the hearts of those who knew her. May she be remembered for her compassionate heart that overflowed with empathy, kindness, and an unwavering commitment to the well-being of others. May her legacy remain woven into the fabric of the countless lives she touched, the stories of healing she authored, and the compassion she sowed in the hearts of those she encountered.
Joan Duffett, we officially release you of your nursing duties, and we will proudly continue to carry the torch.
Joan had crafted the following poignant and moving poem in the early years of her career, which so eloquently illuminates the honor she felt for her service to the nursing profession.
Nightingale Tribute Leader: Penny Popwell
Participants: Shari Busby, Amanda Simmons