Conemaugh School of Nursing Scholarships Established in Memory of Garnet & Betty Romesburg

June 22, 2021

The family of sisters Garnet Romesburg Glenn and Betty Romesburg May have announced two scholarships to benefit nursing students at the Conemaugh School of Nursing beginning with the 2021-22 academic year. The scholarship will annually fund tuition for two outstanding final year nursing students through the 1889 Foundation.

Garnet and Betty grew up in Uniontown, Pa. and graduated from Somerset High School. After graduating from the Conemaugh School of Nursing in 1939 and becoming a Registered Nurse, Garnet worked in the operating room at Somerset Hospital before working with Dr. Marlin Cargill for many years. After his passing, she worked with Dr. Pete Musser before retiring in her late 70s. She passed away in 2017 at the age of 99.

Betty graduated from the Conemaugh School of Nursing in 1944 and joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. in 1945. She was commissioned a second lieutenant with specialty as an operating room nurse. Betty served in the Panama Canal Zone at an Army general hospital until 1946. Following her military tour, she began working in the operating room at University of Michigan Medical School and later accepted a similar position at the University of Chicago hospital. Betty passed away in 2020 at the age of 96.

Throughout their extraordinarily long lives, the sisters continued to value their education at Conemaugh Valley Memorial Nursing School.

'Small local institutions provide essential opportunities for young people who may have limited resources or who wish to stay connected with their communities and families,' said Randall S. May, Betty's son. 'While specialized training can be acquired later through topical courses or working experience, there is no substitute for solid grounding in science and practice that opens the door to a career in health care. This solid foundation supports a wide range of interests, from Garnet's work as an office nurse to Betty's specialized surgical support.

'Because of the value that Betty and Garnet had placed on the nursing school as well as their communities in western Pennsylvania, we have honored their memories by establishing scholarships that will help other area young men and women achieve similar dreams.'

The Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital School of Nursing was founded in 1896 following the establishment of Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital in 1892. This year marks the 125th anniversary of the program, which has graduated more than 4,165 student nurses since its founding. The school has long been accredited by the Pennsylvania Board of Nursing. To learn more, please visit Conemaugh.org/SON.