After 28 years, Anne Raga retires in December

Anne Raga knew she wanted to be a nurse from the age of seven—that was Anne’s age when her mom died of cancer, and children weren’t allowed to visit until they were 12. She vowed that she was going to become a nurse in order to let kids come into the hospital. Anne says that nursing was a lofty goal for someone born into a family of accountants.

After 28 years with Campbell County Health, Anne retires later this month.

Anne started her nursing career as an LPN in Rapid City and moved to Gillette, Wyoming in 1981. She worked as a clinic nurse in Dr. Naramore’s office for several years and finished her registered nurse program in 1989, a member of the second graduating class from the Gillette College nursing program.

Anne came to CCH in 1990, where she worked in the Campbell County Memorial Hospital Medical/Surgical Unit and Surgical Services. In 1992 Baerbel Merril recruited her for a position as a House Supervisor, and Anne went on to more leadership positions as Med/Surg clinical supervisor and then as Manager. Anne retires as the Administrative Director of Nursing. She feels fortunate that CCH valued her leadership abilities and encouraged her to continue on a path to management.

Anne’s fondest memories of her work as a nurse involve her relationships with patients. She still remembers an oncology patient she cared for, and the wonderful way he handled his disease. Another time Anne sat for many hours with a patient in the recovery room, just listening and helping her grieve after her third miscarriage. Other career highlights for Anne are serving as President of the Wyoming Nurses Association from 2014-2016, and being named the Gillette College Distinguished Alum in May 2017.

Anne plans to move to Hill City, SD, where her husband has been retired for five years. She jokes that she’s initially going to take some time to learn how to live with her husband again on more than just weekends. She wants to learn more about quilting, and join the quilt guild in Hill City, and maybe get back into singing with the Dakota Choral Union in Rapid City. Of course she’ll be spending more time with her children and grandchildren: Jessica and her family in Madison, SD; and son Chris and his family in Glendale, Arizona.

When asked, Anne says what she will miss most are the people she’s had the opportunity to work with, care for and invest in over the years.

Thank you Anne, for your dedication to Gillette and Campbell County Health. You will be missed.