“My aunt raised me, and she told me we’d never have anything if we didn’t work for it.”
That’s the motto Mary Swinson has lived by her whole life, and at 83, she has no plans to stop.
“I just love to work,” she said. “I started out in the tobacco fields when I was nine years old, and I’ve been working ever since.”
Swinson was born in Greene County, and after she grew up, she moved to New York City where she cleaned houses and kept the children for a local family. While she liked parts of living in the big city, it was too fast paced for her and she decided to return home to North Carolina after three years.
She found work in Wilson, first with Collins Aerospace and then Wrangler Jeans, where she worked for 10 years. When the Wrangler factory closed down, Swinson found a new job with ECU Health.
“I had a friend, Barbara, and she worked here,” Swinson said. “She asked if I wanted to work in housekeeping, and that’s how I got on here.”
That was 25 years ago, and Swinson has seen a lot change in that time; managers have come and gone and the hospital has grown. What hasn’t changed is her love of her work.
“I like working in housekeeping,” she said. “I’m off by myself and I get the satisfaction of seeing things accomplished.”
Even when she gets knocked down, Swinson gets right back up.
“In the Emergency Department, I was taking out the trash when someone knocked into me,” she said. “I’m little; I don’t weigh much, so I fell down. I didn’t get hurt, though, and even though my manager wanted me to get checked out, I just wanted to get back to work.”
Tasha Jones, manager of supply chain management, said Swinson’s impact on ECU Health and her team is unmistakable.
“She is a loving, generous, selfless person who consistently exemplifies a strong work ethic and commitment to this organization,” Tasha said. “On days I feel overwhelmed, she appears at exactly the right moment, and whether it’s her playful banter or a warm hug, she knows just what I need. That encouragement, no matter the form, always gives me the extra push to keep going.”
Swinson has no plans to retire anytime soon.
“I’m not ready to retire,” Mary said. “I don’t want to just sit around the house.”
To new and current team members, Swinson had a bit of advice: “When you come here, do your job and do it well.”
“Ms. Mary can outwork and outpace anyone on the team,” Tasha shared. “She is truly one of a kind and we are all better because of her.”
To learn more about job opportunities with ECU Health, visit Careers.ECUHealth.org