Donor Spotlight: Joan Klein

Joan Klein impacted many people during her time volunteering at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center, and she continues to impact others through her family’s gift in her honor.

Joan, of Des Moines, was a hardworking, extraordinary individual who loved to help others. Joan was featured in the 1996 Des Moines Register Neighbor of the Week column in which her volunteering and impact were highlighted. In this article, Joan said that her volunteering “Just makes me happy.”

Her children, Kristine, Carol, Meg, Monica and Eric recount just how much her time volunteering at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center meant to their mother.

“Volunteering at MercyOne was a big part of our mother’s life,” said Eric. “She was devoted to helping patients and their families and making their stay as comfortable as possible.”

“She loved her green volunteer jacket and all of her pins,” said Carol. “When she passed, we put all of her pins in her casket for her because we knew she would have loved that.”

Joan had a number of duties through her years of volunteering including greeting people at the front desk, working in the MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center gift shop, delivering flowers to patient rooms, helping direct people and more.

“The front desk was the area Mom enjoyed the most,” said Kristine. “She loved greeting and talking with people and putting a smile on someone’s face.”

“I think in representing MercyOne they couldn’t have picked a better person than my mother,” said Meg. “She was right there at the front desk ready to help.”

Joan passed away in 2015 and a recent memorial gift from Carol and her husband to MercyOne Des Moines Auxiliary in her honor allows her legacy to live on. Gifts made to MercyOne Des Moines Auxiliary support various patient care programs and services, including the Ronald McDonald House at MercyOne Children’s Hospital.

“Our mom would be absolutely over the moon knowing this donation is supporting the Ronald McDonald House at MercyOne Children’s Hospital,” said Carol. “Family first was her motto; children and family were everything to her.”

“Our mom impacted so many people during her time volunteering at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center,” said Monica. “This gift continues her legacy of giving to others when they need it the most.”

“She was committed to community service along with her family,” said Eric. “Joan Klein was a very special person.”

Family memorials are a special way to remember loved ones while making an impact in the areas they cared most about.

“To us, making this gift was an easy decision because our mother was so involved at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center and MercyOne Des Moines Auxiliary,” said Carol. “It was so dear to her heart so it is dear to ours.”

For more information on making a memorial gift or on how to support MercyOne Des Moines Auxiliary, please contact MercyOne Des Moines Foundation Senior Director of Development, Joan Bindel at JBindel@mercydesmoines.org or 515-643-8020.