Hannibal Regional Foundation receives donation from Kirksville couple to support hospice service

HANNIBAL, Mo. — Ron and Elsie Gaber of Kirksville recently made a generous donation to Hannibal Regional Foundation to support hospice services in northeast Missouri.

This donation will help to create the Gaber Founder’s Award for Excellence in Hospice Services Endowment for Hospice of Northeast Missouri.  The purpose of the endowment is to establish, in perpetuity, a means to express appreciation, recognition and encouragement to those Hospice of Northeast Missouri team members and volunteers who dedicate their life assisting patients and families with experiencing dignity in the dying process.

Without the visionary leadership and dedication of Ron Gaber and others, Hospice of Northeast Missouri would not exist today. Ron Gaber saw a need to address end-of-life care for those living in Adair County, and with the help of other dedicated volunteers, they created Hospice 2000 in 1993.

Ron served as the founding president of Hospice 2000 from 1993-97, as well as at the volunteer and bereavement coordinator in the early years. Ron was certified and taught thanatology courses at A.T. Still, Truman State and Ball State Universities. He also provided numerous training seminars and workshops.  He is the author of  “The Death of Adult Children Through the Eyes of Grieving Parents” and is a retired dean emeritus of students and vice president emeritus of student affairs at A.T. Still University.

As Hospice 2000 developed, they recognized the need for this service was much greater than just Adair County and grew the organization to its current status, Hospice of Northeast Missouri, a service of Hannibal Regional.

Wendy Harrington, CEO and president of Hannibal Regional Foundation, said, “It is individuals such as the Gabers who truly make a community better.  Their vision, leadership and tireless support of programs such as hospice contribute to the success of our community.  We thank them for their continued trust in Hospice of Northeast Missouri and look forward to using this endowment to recognize our amazing team members and volunteers.”

Hospice of Northeast Missouri became a part of the Hannibal Regional Healthcare System family in 2022 and is supported in part by donations to Hospice through the Hannibal Regional Foundation.  It is rated 5 Stars by CMS and is one of the few non-profit hospices in northeast Missouri. A team of professionals provides end-of-life care specially trained to address the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of the individual, their caregivers and families.

Hospice of Northeast Missouri serves Adair, Clark, Knox, Lewis, Macon, Putnam, Schuyler, Scotland, Sullivan and Shelby counties. To learn more about hospice services, go to hospiceofnortheastmissouri.org or call 660-627-9711.