Kathy Campbell says a group that honors deceased nurses is not unlike some American Legion groups that pay tribute to fallen veterans.
“We just don’t have motorcycles,” she said.
What the Nurses Honor Guard of Wichita does have are outfits that recall Florence Nightingale and a belief in the importance of nursing.
“I think it’s an important profession that needs to be recognized from beginning to end,” said Campbell, a nurse for 50 years who started volunteering with the group last year.
The honor guard performs a brief tribute at the funerals or memorial services of nurses who have died.
“It’s kind of a like a military service or for law enforcement,” said Sandy Moray, the group’s state coordinator and nurse for more than 50 years. “We do a call to duty at the end, then release her as a nurse.”
The group, part of a nationwide organization, formed in 2022 and now has about 50 members. They’ve taken part in services for about 140 nurses and had several more planned in February. They dress in white uniforms and hats “like it used to be,” Moray said, along with the blue cape with red lining made famous by Nightingale, considered the founder of modern nursing.
The group has been in contact with local funeral homes, which let the families of nurses know that the service is available. In addition to churches, the group has paid tribute in cemeteries and even bars where celebrations of life are held. They generally operate in a 50-mile radius and have helped start new chapters in Hutchinson and Emporia.
To volunteer with the honor guard or inquire about the honor guard service, call Moray at (316) 316-393-3093 or Brenda Cook at (316) 320-1624.
