St. Joseph Warren Hospital—originally “Riverside Hospital,” was founded by Dr. Chester Waller in 1924, who intended to entrust it to the care of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary. Following Waller’s untimely passing six months later, the sisters purchased the hospital on November 26, 1924, at which time it was renamed St. Joseph Riverside Hospital, located on Tod Avenue Northwest in Warren.
As populations shifted from the city to the suburbs, the hospital relocated to Eastland Avenue Southeast on March 19, 1996, and renamed St. Joseph Warren Hospital. Mercy Health and its parent company, Bon Secours, purchased vacant land by Kent State University’s Trumbull campus several years ago to possibly relocate it there in the future, but no definite plans have been made, said Charlotte Gardiner, president of Mercy Health-St. Joseph Warren Hospital.
She said several of the Humility of Mary sisters are still involved with the hospital’s operation, including Sister Maryann Golonka, who is chair of quality and safety, Sister Barbara Noble and Sister Mildred “Millie” Ely, who is on the hospital board.
Sister Millie, who received the Voice of Hope award from Catholic Charities in April, worked as a pharmacist at St. Joseph Hospital in Lorain for eight years before earning her master’s degree in hospital management and administration. In 1983, she became the president and CEO of St. Joseph Warren Hospital, a position she held until 1995.
Gardiner said the hospital’s future looks very bright as it continues to invest in technology and employees. “We are expanding and growing our cardiac services and cancer services,” she said.
In fact, a new cardiac catheterization lab opened at St. Joseph Warren Hospital in late April. With the new lab, the hospital already successfully performed several cardiac catheterizations and pacemaker procedures.
A cardiac catheterization lab, also known as a “cath lab,” is a specialized area used for minimally invasive tests and advanced cardiac procedures. This year, the Warren facility also added critical care beds and intensive care unit beds, to help prevent overcrowding.
Other recent expansions and improvements at St. Joseph Warren Hospital include the addition of the Mercy Health—St. Joseph Warren Hospital Cancer Center, an expanded emergency department, physician offices, a Howland office and a primary care office in Champion.
Gardiner said she also wants to focus on recruiting and retaining specialists in various areas, so that patients can get the best care possible, without needing to go to Cleveland.
Gardiner said she and other hospital officials plan for the growth of St. Joseph Warren Hospital, “Our footprint will expand … with Mercy Health’s new inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation hospitals on Belmont Avenue in Liberty, which will free up space at our main campus.”
She also noted the COVID-19 pandemic revealed that patients want walk-in care and remote and telehealth options, so the hospital has expanded in each of those areas.
Gardiner said the hospital’s greatest asset is its people, from the doctors, nurses and specialists to the support staff. “Our employees know they are here taking care of their families, neighbors and friends, and they are proud of that,” she said.
St. Joseph Warren Hospital employs more than 900 people in various jobs. Though it used to be a standalone hospital, it is now part of the Mercy Health system, so some of its services are shared among other local Mercy facilities, including St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital and St. Elizabeth Boardman Hospital.
“Health care has always fascinated me. I am a nurse by trade and I worked in the surgical intensive care unit, so I have seen how far health care has progressed in terms of technology,” Gardiner said, noting that the hospital recently celebrated its 3,000th robotic surgery. “But meeting the needs of our patients has always been the number one goal.”
Sister Millie said the Humility of Mary order joined Mercy Health in 1990, and she has been on the Mercy Health board since 1999, serving as chair for two years.
Since retiring as president of St. Joseph Warren Hospital, she has remained active on the board.
“By staying involved, my fellow sisters and I can transfer the charism and values of our mission to the lay people,” she said. “We are trying to make sure our mission of healing stays alive.”
“The heart of our mission is for the community—especially the poor and underserved,” Sister Millie added. “Our charism is humility, and education and health care were our primary ministries, but we have branched out into social work in recent years.”
Sister Millie noted that Saint Joseph is one of the patron saints of her order.
St. Joseph Hospital will celebrate its 100th anniversary November 26, but the celebrations have been going on all year and will continue through the official anniversary date.
One of the first ways the hospital marked the milestone was by opening a memorabilia room in January in the main lobby of the hospital on Eastland Avenue. The project was spearheaded by Sister Barbara, who is the Humility of Mary historian. The memorabilia room is open to the public weekdays during regular business hours.
Other celebrations marking the hospital’s centennial included the hospital’s annual golf outing in June, which took place at Trumbull Country Club—100 golfers participated in honor of the centennial. The oldest participant was Sister René, who is 103 (read about her 85th jubilee on page 20).
On July 16, a time capsule from the 1980s was opened at the Mercy Health—St. Joseph Warren Hospital Cancer Center’s healing garden, and a new time capsule was buried there.
On November 19, Bishop David Bonnar will celebrate an anniversary Mass at St. Mary and St. Joseph Church (now St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish) in downtown Warren, followed by a gala at the Eastwood Event Centre in Niles.
For more information on the anniversary Mass or St. Joseph Warren Hospital’s anniversary celebrations, visit www.Mercy.com.
