Regional Medical Center | Thrive for Life | Summer 2018

Ninety-three years young. Sixty- nine years married. Twenty-five years volunteering at Stringfellow Memorial Hospital (SMH). Lamar and Mary Nelle Dill certainly know a thing or two about life, love and service. “[The Dills] have become family to all of us, and us to them,” shares Jasmine Benningfield, executive assistant to the CEO at SMH. “During Volunteer Week, I teared up watching the news story about their 69 years of marriage. We honored them here, too, with an anniversary party!” The Dills’ love story is one to envy. For their recent 69th wedding anniversary, the couple’s son and daughter gifted them a return visit to the Battle House Hotel in Mobile, their honeymoon destination in April 1949. It was the first time they’d been back. With Lamar’s love of planes, boats and automobiles, it was only natural that the Dills traveled in his newest vehicle—a limousine—with their son, daughter-in-law, daughter and son-in-law. And never before had the Dills rested in such luxury! When they arrived, the hotel upgraded their room to the nearly 2,000-square- foot Presidential Suite, complete with a private terrace that overlooks downtown Mobile. The suite normally rents for $3,000 a night. Volunteer spotlight A work of heart The gift of service Back in Anniston, during his “normal” life, Lamar volunteers at SMH, something he’s done for the past 25 years, giving more than 7,000 hours of his time. Every Monday, he works in Admissions, facilitating the process for staff and patients while brightening the days of all those around him. In earlier years, he worked in courier services delivering important papers, pathology and blood products to reference laboratories for essential lab tests. “A friend who volunteered here invited me to accompany him one day,” reflects Lamar. “And I never stopped coming!” But he hasn’t always worked for free. Lamar served our country in the U.S. Navy in World War II, taking part in five invasions. He owned a business and later worked for and retired from the City of Anniston as its chief electrician. Lamar was born and raised in Anniston, where he met his bride Mary Nelle. They married on April 24, 1949, at the First Presbyterian Church in Anniston. While the congregation has relocated nearby, it is still the Dills’ home church, and they live close enough to walk to services every week. A lasting relationship When asked about the secrets to a long and happy marriage, Lamar quickly responds, “You do what you’re told, and you get along a whole lot better!” Kidding aside, he says that marriage is filled with give and take; it goes both ways. News stories that covered the Dills’ anniversary shared important advice from Mary Nelle as well: “We thank God every day for what we have,” she says. “It’s important to have friends to share your life with. And having such a close family, with adult children and grandchildren living nearby, also helps.” She says that neither she nor Lamar ever thought they’d live this long, but they count their blessings every day. And who’s to say whether Lamar’s volunteer work at SMH has been one of the many secret ingredients to their long, happy marriage? It’s obvious that he has a heart for service— at home, for our country and at the hospital. The SMH staff is pleased and proud to claim Lamar and Mary Nelle Dill as members of our hospital family. 5 rmccares.org