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News Releases
Tough Times and Great Values Inspire a Lifelong Volunteer
March 18, 2009
 Long-time volunteer Buddy Gilbert (left) visits with Buddy Beiser at Mercy Medical. Both men grew up during the depression and have lots of stories about historic times and serving their communities. |
“I was born in the Depression and grew up poor but didn’t know it. We had wonderful parents. My Dad started working for the railroad when he was 13 and retired at 69. My parents had five children, saved money for a long time to buy a house and lost the house during the depression. My parents always taught us about giving back, sharing things in your life, and how blessed we were,” said Gilbert.
Gilbert’s early work and volunteer experiences set a foundation for continuous community service. He worked professionally for CPC International for 25 years. At the age of 50 Gilbert was laid off and eventually went to real estate school. Through selling, buying, and renting real estate, he continued his livelihood. Gilbert volunteered continuously throughout his career.
“While in sales, I was on the road a lot. I heard about an orphanage in South Dallas with mostly adolescent boys. After talking to the nuns, I started coaching these young boys in basketball. I later discovered the Dallas Big Brothers where I would take a kid to fun places and to sporting events. I also did Meals on Wheels one day a week for seven years,” said Gilbert.
When Gilbert moved to the Gulf Coast in 1994, he volunteered at a local hospital for many years. Gilbert’s younger sister, Marge Echols, was the one who led him to Mercy Medical.
“My little sister got lung cancer. She had part of her lung removed. Marge was in excellent shape, led a good well rounded life, and also did volunteer work,” described Gilbert. “A year and a half after her surgery the cancer spread. The doctor said she had 4-6 months to live. She lasted about 6 months and was a Mercy Hospice patient for most of that time. I was so impressed with the Mercy nurses who came by. They were so concerned about my sister and took such good care of her. Then my sister said, “If I have to leave my home I want to go to Mercy Medical in Daphne.”
After his sister passed away, Gilbert became a Mercy volunteer. His favorite volunteer experience was visiting with a Mercy hospice family member.
“My favorite person to visit was Claude. His wife had Alzheimer’s. Claude needed someone to talk to. I went to see him on Sunday afternoons. He was very dedicated to caring for his wife. He would buy meat and vegetables to prepare meals, then break them down for the week. As she got worse he would sit there and feed her by spoon. On nice days he would take her with him to the store, to the barber shop and did so many things with her. One day Claude told me he was short of breath coming up the hill after cutting the grass. He had to have surgery, so he put his wife into a convalescent home. During surgery, he didn’t get enough oxygen and his brain wasn’t right after that. He died and they told his wife; she died three days later,” explained Gilbert.
As a long-time Mercy volunteer, Gilbert visits hospice and long-term care patients weekly. In giving of his time, Gilbert has been very humbled by the many people that taught him to be unselfish.
“We have had a lot of tragedy in our family and it was always nice to have someone visit you and feel that people care and give of their time. It makes you just want to do something for somebody else,” acknowledged Gilbert. “Also the Catholic school system which I grew up in and the Jesuits at Spring Hill College instilled in me to give ‘time, talent and treasures’ to others.”
For more information about volunteering at Mercy Medical call Judy Hazelton at
621-4445 or email volunteer@mercymedical.com.
