BOCA RATON – In a solemn address to the City Council on Monday, Mayor Susan Whelchel offered condolences to the family of Gloria Drummond and remembered the woman who fought to build a hospital in Boca Raton nearly 50 years ago as “an icon of our community.”
Drummond passed away at the age of 81.
“We will fondly and lovingly remember Gloria Drummond as the absolute stalwart person who worked so hard so that we could have what used to be Boca Raton Community Hospital and is now Boca Raton Regional Hospital,” said the mayor.
The chief executive echoed comments from other residents and officials following Drummond’s death.
Barbara Schmidt, who, with husband Richard Schmidt and the Schmidt Foundation, has done considerable work and donation large sums to the hospital, posted a note on Facebook saying: Gloria loved our community; she changed and saved lives and our world is a better place by her having been here. We love you Gloria and we thank you.”
Charlie Rutherford also wrote a Facebook note saying: “Gloria was a Boca legacy lady who played a critical role in Boca’s evolution, turning the almost unimaginable tragedy of her children’s loss into the lifesaving Boca Raton Regional Hospital we know today. Rest in peace, Gloria, you did well!
“Gloria Drummond’s passion to see something good come out of devastating personal tragedy is one of the most compelling stories our community has ever witnessed,” said Debbie Leising, current president of the Debbie-Rand Memorial Service League.
“Not only was she the driving force behind the creation of our hospital, she also established and nurtured the development of
one of the largest and most effective volunteer service and fundraising organizations in healthcare today.”
She was to be honored at the hospital ball in January to honor the 50th anniversary of the institution.
“All of us are greatly saddened that Gloria will not be with us at that time,” said Jerry Fedele, president and CEO of Boca Regional. “Yet we will need to go no further than a drive on Meadows Road to see the dream, determination and dedication that was Gloria Drummond.”
The public long ago called Boca Hospital “the miracle on Meadows Road.”