Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

09/06/2025

Thank you for the excellent article in the Post Gazette!

https://www.post-gazette.com/life/goodness/2025/09/04/angels-of-westmoreland-allegheny-honor-guard-nurses/stories/202509070031

09/06/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard:

Kelly Neubauer

08/28/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Name: Marlene Hudak King

Where did you go to Nursing School and when did you graduate?
Mercy Hospital School of Nursing,Pittsburgh, PA Diploma of Nursing 1981
Carlow College, Pittsburgh, PA BSN 1990

Where have you worked during your career and what specialty?
Mercy Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA Nurses Aide and Lab Tech for the School of Nursing.
Indiana Hospital, Indiana ,PA Mack 3 Step Down unit.
Forbes Regional Hospital, Monroeville, PA Orthopedics, Critical Care, Ambulatory Services, Geriatric Assessment, Radiology, Gastroenterology, Pre Surgical/Admission Services.
UPMC Outpatient Surgery Center, Monroeville, PA -GI services.
Westmoreland Endoscopy Center, Greensburg, PA-GI Services
Pennsylvania Department of Health, SW District, Community Population Health.
AHN Monroeville Surgery Center, Monroeville, PA-Peri Op Services/GI

What was the reason you decided to become a nurse and how old were you when that was decided? In 1977, I graduated from High School and Vo Tech. I wanted to work with and for people-that sparked my passion for Professional Nursing.

Are you currently working (and if so, how long) or if retired, when did you retire? I am currently working as a Causal Staff Nurse at the Monroeville Surgery Center for AHN.

Are you married/in a relationship, and if so, for how long and feel free to include the name? Married in 1981- My husband Gary and I have been blessed

How many children and if you would like to give their names, feel free!
With Gratitude, I have 3 children Brian1988, Stephanie1990 and Nicholas1996.

How many grandchildren do you have and their ages?
Again I am blessed with 2 grandchildren Caden, age 3 and Callie, age 18 months

Any Pets? If so, what kind and what is his/her/their names?
No pets currently

List any hobbies, churches, clubs or organizations that you belong to or enjoy doing.
Family and Friends-volunteering at many community service events.

Favorite Foods:
Love cheese, ethnic foods especially Slovak and Italian foods

Favorite Holiday and Why?
Thanksgiving-because I am grateful for each day and all that the God has given me.

Favorite Vacation Spot or Memory.
Can not narrow down my favorite vacation spot or memory-I am in awe of all that God Created.

Favorite Childhood Memory.
Family

Favorite Book/Movie/Genre of Music.
I love Historical Fiction.

08/18/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Name: Lisa Cherubini Mensch

Where did you go to Nursing
School and when did you graduate?
Carlow College PGH PA - BSN -1981 Waynesburg University Waynesburg PA - MSN - 2012

Where have you worked during your career and what specialty? Nursing has always been my career choice. 1975-1977 Candy Striper Jeannette District Memorial Hospital (JDMH)
1977-1983 Nursing Assistant @ JDMH 1983-2008 RN – orthopedics/med-surg
2005-2021 Laurel Surgical Center – PACU 2008-Present Community College Allegheny County Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor/ Simulation Lab Instructor/Nursing Skills Tutor
2010-Present Westmoreland County Community College – Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor/Assessment Skills Lab Instructor
2021-2024 Seton Hill University - Adjunct Clinical Nursing Instructor (Inaugural Class) (presently remain on prn/sub list)
2023-2025 Laurel Highlands Workforce & Opportunity Center – Medical Assistant Clinical Practices & Laboratory Skills Instructor (inaugural staff)
1987-2012 United States Army Nurse Corps - Veteran (retired Major)
I have been a substitute school nurse for the Hempfield School District & also served several years as the nurse for Hempfield Area High School Marching Band

What was the reason you decided to become a nurse and how old were you when that was decided? Nursing has always been my career choice. I wanted to make a significant difference to be a guide for those who needed me, to encourage healthy lifestyle choices and post illness recovery. At the age of 15, through the Hempfield High School “Future Nurses of America” Club I began my professional journey as a Candy Striper @ Jeannette District Memorial Hospital (JDMH) earning over 200 hours of volunteer time.

Are you currently working (and if so, how long) or if retired, when did you retire? I currently remain on the adjunct clinical instructor lists at CCAC – WCCC – SHU. (driven by student enrollment and staffing needs. NOTE* At present the new student nurse enrollment is substantially low. Personally, it is a worrisome fact about our profession’s future.
I am on the retirement side of the work/life tantum but not officially retired yet.

Are you married/in a relationship, and if so, for how long and feel free to include the name? Recently Frank & I celebrated our 35th Wedding Anniversary with a glorious, extended European trip.

How many children and if you would like to give their names, feel free! Proud mom of 2 successful and precious adult children: TJ (33) USDA Inspector. Lena (28) Darden Restaurant Manager.

How many grandchildren do you have and their ages? Excited & involved Nana of 2 precious grand-blessings: JT (6) Evie Jo (2)

Any Pets? If so, what kind and what is his/her/their names? Our 70lb 3-year-old “baby” & travel pal Potter. (Goldendoodle).

List any hobbies, churches, clubs or organizations that you belong to or enjoy doing. Love family time, friendship time, criminal/forensic shows and murder mystery books. I hold many professional and military memberships. American Legion Post 981 member; member of the Church of Saint Paul. I enjoy volunteering for several organizations, especially Toys for Tots.

Favorite Foods: cheesecake is my favorite dessert. As for foods, I enjoy authentic native foods, especially of whatever regions Frank & I visit.

Favorite Holiday and Why? 2 favorites – Halloween - dressing up and going out-hubby & I have done so annually since we were dating. Our children have followed suit and now the grand-blessings do as well. Christmas – extended family time and the peace of the season make it a time of the year I cherish. I combine them both when I dress as “Mrs. Claus” for Toys for Tots distribution day each year.
Favorite Vacation Spot or Memory. We recently started to RV so exploration of new areas is the favorite. The beach, any beach, is my favorite spot but I love waterfalls and fireside family time. The memories continue as the family grows and our freedom to travel increases.

Favorite Childhood Memory. Being the eldest of 5 in an Italian family, there are so many memories I cherish from my childhood. Missing those loved ones now gone makes the memories treasures.

Favorite Book/Movie/Genre of Music. I am a 70’s rock fan, The Doors & Fleetwood Mac being some of my favorites. I also like to listen to cool jazz sometimes.

08/10/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Name: Christina Drnjevich

Do You Have a Nickname? Christy, Cricky

Where did you go to Nursing School and when did you graduate?
Westmoreland County Community College LPN and then RN Associates-2003
Chamberlain with BSN 2023 then earned my MSN 2025

Where have you worked during your career and what specialty?
I have worked in a variety of places first a nursing home as a CNA it was called HIS-Mt.View at the time, then worked at Select Specialty Hospital for 8 years as a CNA then an LPN and then earned my RN, then went to Latrobe Hospital and worked there for a total of about 16 years in various settings including Float Pool, Outpatient Surgery/Recovery Room, and then in Home Care/Palliative Care/Hospice, and I am now at Adelphoi serving as the Director of Nursing and I also am an adjunct clinical instructor for Steon Hill and Carlow College.

What was the reason you decided to become a nurse and how old were you when that was decided? When I was pretty young I was interested in it, I like talking with people and always found it easy to do and my Aunt who was one of my favorite people got sick when she was pretty young and passed and wanted to help others like her.

Are you currently working (and if so, how long) or if retired, when did you retire? Yes I am currently working.

Are you married/in a relationship, and if so, for how long and feel free to include the name? I am married to my husband Josh for about 21 years now.

How many children and if you would like to give their names, feel free!
We have 3 children.
Jack-18
Twins Ava and Sophia-15

How many grandchildren do you have and their ages?
N/A

Any Pets? If so, what kind and what is his/her/their names?
Dog Bentley he is 8 and a yellow lab
Cat-Lily and she is 8 she is a rescue.

List any hobbies, churches, clubs or organizations that you belong to or enjoy doing.
I enjoy reading, walking, lifting weights, watching my kids in their sports.

Favorite Foods:
I really like all food but my favorites are wings, pizza, and breakfast.

Favorite Holiday and Why?
Favorite holiday is probably Christmas because I feel like the season lasts the longest and time spent decorating and with family.

Favorite Vacation Spot or Memory.
I like the beach the best but some of my best memories are going to Yogi Campground in the summers with our kids they were some of the best times, and our family trip to Disney when the kids were younger we had a great time.

Favorite Childhood Memory.
Really there are so many, I was lucky to grow up in a great little town where we as kids ran all around, rode our bikes, and also camping with my family and beach trips, and also driving around with my Dad is his Hot Rod.

Favorite Book/Movie/Genre of Music.
I am really a lover of all music it just depends on the mood I am in. As far as books I like mostly murder mystery but sometimes a romance here and there.

08/08/2025

The Nurse's Sixth Sense"

They say a nurse has five senses —
sight to read the monitor,
touch to check a pulse,
hearing to catch the faintest gasp,
smell to detect infection,
taste for caution in care...
But there is a sixth —
unseen, unfailing, unforgettable.

A sacred knowing.
A whisper in the bones.
A chill before a code is called.
The ache in the soul that says,
“Stay a little longer, she's not okay.”

Before the monitors blinked,
before alarms screamed,
she already knew —
the patient was slipping.

Not taught in textbooks,
not earned in degrees.
It’s the gift forged
in long nights and broken dawns,
in watching eyes dim and hands go cold,
in losing, loving, and showing up again.

She walks in rooms where silence screams,
and still hears the story.
She sees the swelling of hope,
and the shadow that steals it.
She holds a hand — and heaven listens.

Doctors ask, “Vitals stable?”
She answers, “Not yet. Something’s off.”
And they learn, slowly, to trust
the nurse who senses storms in clear skies.

It’s more than instinct.
It’s more than skill.
It’s soul.
It’s sacrifice.
It’s the sacred science of presence.

So next time they say,
“She’s just a nurse,”
remind them:

She carries a sixth sense —
wired by God,
refined by fire,
and felt by every life she saves.

08/05/2025

Thank you Lisa Mensch for sharing with the group!

They Remembered Names Before Wristbands”

They didn’t scan wristbands.
They remembered names.
Knew who took sugar.
Who feared the dark.
Who hadn’t had a visitor in three weeks.

They didn’t need room numbers
To know where the lonely ones stayed.

They wrote notes in margins
And empathy in margins deeper still.
They’d say, “She likes her tea after meds,”
Not because it was in a care plan —
But because it was in their care.

They adjusted pillows
Not for posture
But for peace.

They didn’t check patient satisfaction scores —
They watched faces.
Read the wince behind the “I’m fine.”
Heard what wasn’t spoken.

Before trauma was coded,
They sensed it in shaking hands.
Before burnout had a name,
They buried it behind tired smiles.

They didn’t call it holistic.
They just called it nursing.

And now,
As we toggle between tabs,
Rush through rounds,
And scroll through histories —
May we remember:

The best nurses weren’t measured in metrics.
They were remembered in moments.

And somewhere,
Someone is still alive
Because a nurse once remembered their name.

08/03/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Name: Danielle Beard

Do You Have a Nickname? Many people call me Dani

Where did you go to Nursing School and when did you graduate? WCCC, 2006

Where have you worked during your career and what specialty?

Westmoreland Hospital, Community Home Health, physician office, and now inpatient
hospice

What was the reason you decided to become a nurse and how old were you when that was
decided?
I had been a medical assistant for several years and came to the realization that I
was capable of doing more and could make a bigger impact as a nurse. I went to nursing
school at age 32.

Are you currently working (and if so, how long) or if retired, when did you retire?
I’m still
working. I’ve been with Family Hospice at our inpatient unit for 7 years.

Are you married/in a relationship, and if so, for how long and feel free to include the name?

My husband and I just celebrated our 30th wedding anniversary!

How many children and if you would like to give their names, feel free!
I have a 27 year old daughter and a 24 year old son.

How many grandchildren do you have and their ages?
None yet

Any Pets? If so, what kind and what is his/her/their names?

We have two English Pointers, Hank and Penny and one cat who came from the rescue
with the name Baby, but we lovingly call her Kitty Cat or Puma 😆

List any hobbies, churches, clubs or organizations that you belong to or enjoy doing.
I’m an avid reader and belong to a book club. I’ve recently been teaching myself to crochet,
so that’s a work in progress. I also plant a large vegetable garden every year and enjoy
canning a lot of what I grow. I also love to cook and bake. I try to work out a few times a
week and stay active. We are members of Newlonsburg Presbyterian Church in
Murrysville.

Favorite Foods:
Again, too many favorites to choose just one. I am a bit of a foodie and appreciate a wide
variety.

Favorite Vacation Spot or Memory.
My all-time favorite vacation spot was a trip my husband and I took in 2023 to Italy and
we explored Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Amalfi, Capri, Bari, and more. We even stayed in the
ancient city of Matera and our hotel room was in a cave!

Favorite Childhood Memory.
Favorite Book/Movie/Genre of Music.
I have way too many books that I have loved to be able to choose a favorite! As far as
movies go, I’m a real sucker for sports-themed/underdog movies like Remember the
Titans, Sea Biscuit, We are Marshall, The Greatest Game Ever Played, etc. I also enjoy
many genres of music depending on my mood (but I typically skip rap and heavy metal)
haha!

07/28/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Name: Christen Stercho

Do You Have a Nickname? no

Where did you go to Nursing School and when did you graduate?
Mercy Hospital School of Nursing, 1987. I also graduated from Carlow College with a BSN in 1992, and from Carlow University with a MSN in 2020.
Where have you worked during your career and what specialty?
1 year CCU at Mercy Hospital; 29 years Westmoreland Hospital-mostly CCU with experience in ICU/PCU/ER; last 8 years at Frick Hospital in Nuclear Cardiology and Cardiopulmonary Rehab.

What was the reason you decided to become a nurse and how old were you when that was decided? I was 3 years old when I decided to become a nurse because I fell in love with the crisp white nursing uniform that my aunt (a medical assistant) wore to work every day.

Are you currently working (and if so, how long) or if retired, when did you retire? Working in Nuclear Cardiology, 4 more years until retirement!

Are you married/in a relationship, and if so, for how long and feel free to include the name? Married for 32 years to my husband Scott

How many children and if you would like to give their names, feel free!
2 sons- Tyler, age 29 is a Pharmacist, Garrett, age 25 is an HVAC Technician

How many grandchildren do you have and their ages? None

Any Pets? If so, what kind and what is his/her/their names?
Our sweet Chocolate Lab, Coco, is 12 years old

List any hobbies, churches, clubs or organizations that you belong to or enjoy doing.
I am active at St. Florian’s Roman Catholic Church as a lector, member of Altar Society, and Recorder/Member of Pastoral Council.
I love to read, scrapbook, exercise, bicycle, listen to music/bands, decorate my house for different seasons, decorate cakes, and bake all kinds of cookies.

Favorite Foods:
Everything, especially dessert!
Favorite Holiday and Why?

I love Christmas and Easter for the religious meanings and gathering with family in church to celebrate. But Christmas is my favorite- baking, decorating, listening to Christmas music, watching Christmas shows and movies, giving gifts, hosting family gatherings, and all of the beautiful church services. My son Garrett was born on Christmas Day, so that is another reason why I love Christmas so much!

Favorite Vacation Spot or Memory.
We have vacationed in Erie at Presque Isle many times. I just love it there!

Favorite Childhood Memory.
Baking with my mom. We made everything from Christmas cookies to cream puffs, maple rolls, homemade bread buns and pieroghis.

Favorite Book/Movie/Genre of Music.
Any book by Kristin Hannah is my favorite! I love all music, but 80’s rock is my favorite.

07/21/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Name: Colleen Kovatch

Do You Have a Nickname? My WV friends call me KoCO_

Where did you go to Nursing School and when did you graduate?
WCCC Class of 2008

Where have you worked during your career and what specialty?
I am a cosmetologist, having owned my own salon for 21 years before I became a nurse. I have been an ER nurse since graduation.I work at Independence Latrobe ER, I also have my school nurse certification CSN, I am a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner SANE, I am a simulation coordinator for WCCC NLRC, a clinical and lecture instructor for WCCC.

What was the reason you decided to become a nurse and how old were you when that was decided? __
My best friend/mother was diagnosed with cancer in 1997, I saw the good, bad and ugly in the healthcare field and after she passed and my boys started school I decided to go to nursing school. I started in 2002 and graduated in 2008, 6 months before I turned 40.

Are you currently working (and if so, how long) or if retired, when did you retire?
Currently working casual at Independence Latrobe ER and also at WCCC.

Are you married/in a relationship, and if so, for how long and feel free to include the name?
I am married to Tony Kovatchand we just celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary in May.

How many children and if you would like to give their names, feel free!
I have 2 sons (and many boys who I raised boys from “other mothers” as I call them).
Cameron is a teacher for Clairview at the WIU and Dylan is supervisor at Arnold Palmer Airport employed by Westmoreland County. Cam has been married to Brooke (she is a teacher for Hempfield) since 2016 and they have 2 beautiful boys, Tucker
Anthony and Grayson Scott. . Dylan has been married to Cassie (communication liaison for Westmoreland County Emergency Management) since 2018 and they have one gorgeous son Lincoln Crew.

How many grandchildren do you have and their ages?
Tucker 7yrs, Grayson 5yrs, Lincoln 9 months.

Any Pets? If so, what kind and what is his/her/their names?
My baby pup named Coal is 10 years old and a Sh*tzu. I have chickens, a turtle and many “barn” cats.

List any hobbies, churches, clubs or organizations that you belong to or enjoy doing.
I love to boat and spend my summer at Cheat Lake WV. Reading and floating in my pool are my favorite summer time hobbies. I am a member of St. Benedict Church. I was Miss Latrobe 1984 and continue to participate in the 4th of July festivities.

Favorite Foods:
Pizza or Seafood at the beach

Favorite Holiday and Why?
Summer holidays are my favorite. Yes, I am a warm weather person. Holidays are hard when your mom is gone. She was the glue to our family. My boys tend to spend the holidays with their in-laws and I understand that.

Favorite Vacation Spot or Memory.
Anna Maria Island, Florida. I hope to have a home near the Gulf in Florida very soon.

Favorite Childhood Memory.
Growing up in a Catholic/Slovak household. The food, family gatherings and fun will always be my favorite childhood memories.

Favorite Book/Movie/Genre of Music.
Anything spicy and romantic is my favorite book. I have watched Urban Cowboy at least 100 times and my music is kind of bipolar. I love all genres of music. I listen to music to remember, I listen to music to forget.

07/14/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

I’m Michelle Anderson. Graduated from WCCC in 2017. I’ve worked mostly ICU but did corrections for 2 years and now am filling my toe into psych. I’m married for over 20 years. I have one son almost 16 who is on the spectrum and the love of my life. I have a step son who is 30 and a teacher. We have a cat named dog because why not. I love my horses. Christmas is the only holiday imo

07/06/2025

Meet the members of Angels of Westmoreland Honor Guard

Elizabeth Stercho