Q Early History of Brockport’s Hospital Interpretive Panel

Good Morning Everyone! 

I want to thank Allan for the invitation to today’s event.  It is truly a humbling experience to take part in this dedication.

We are here this morning to honor people who worked tirelessly to bring hospital services to the Brockport Community beginning decades ago.  The number is countless.  Many who worked behind the scenes in these matters are just as important as those that are named and remembered.  We thank them all.

My personal experience with the Lakeside Health System began in 2008.  The road from there to here is both bumpy and exhilarating, depending on the day.  It is not a good day when you are faced with closing a community hospital.  But look around here today, the Brockport Community landed on its feet when URMC opened Strong West.  I am thankful every day that those stars aligned.  Those stars had a great deal of help in the Board Chair at the time, Nancy Plews.  She had the vision and foresight to know that we needed to pivot in a new direction.  And she hung in there to make this transition happen.  And believe that was not an easy job!  Strong West is what the community needed and URMC had the critical mass to make it happen.

After the sale of the hospital, we soon realized a standalone nursing facility was not sustainable.  Thus, the sale to Elderwood.  At this time, I was the Board Chair of both the Lakeside Health System and the Lakeside Foundation.

Someone once said to me, if things had gone differently these buildings could be sitting here empty.  We are thankful that is not the case!  Instead, we have a valuable community resource in Strong West and Elderwood of Lakeside.  Our residents are fortunate to receive a high standard of care in their hometown.  In addition, this is a key employer offering middle and higher-level salaries to residents.

Of the Lakeside entities, the Lakeside Foundation survived these transitions.  The Lakeside Foundation has been renamed the Brockport Area Health Foundation.  It now supports Local Healthcare providers.  We use a broad definition of healthcare.

Our grants are large and small.  We fill unfunded gaps that truly impact individual lives.  Let’s look at a few examples of this impact.

1.  The Foundation has funded ED transportation right here at Strong West.  Patients come by car or ambulance and then don’t have a way to return home.  This fund allows the staff to call an UBER or similar transportation.  This returns focus to patient care and reduce stress for the patient and staff.
2. As we are all aware, mental & behavior health are growing concerns in the area.  How is this care being addressed?  We are fortunate to have Oak Orchard Health providing these services just down the street. The Brockport Area Health Foundation awarded a grant to assist patients with co-pays based on a sliding scale of income.  This enabled families and individuals to afford needed care, especially during and after the Covid Pandemic.
3. A second grant to Oak Orchard was to fund an additional pediatric therapist to meet the growing need and reduce wait times for appointments.
4. Other grants at Strong West were to fund congestive heart failure equipment such as scales and blood pressure cuffs for home use.  And for those whose insurance didn’t cover this.  What a simple thing, but what an impact!  
5. One of the most wonderful grants and our least costly was to supply I-pads for pediatric same day surgery patients.  They are loaded with fun-filled games and provide a distraction before and after surgery to reduce stress.  Doesn’t that paint an awesome picture?
6. Smaller grants have gone to the Helping Hands fund at the First Baptist Church and to the Brockport Community Connections for Thanksgiving Baskets.

These are not the largest grants, but they can be very impactful to people’s everyday lives.  We will be launching the Foundation’s revised website by the end of the month if you would like to apply for a grant or make a donation. (The website is now like: brockportareahealth.org)

We are grateful for the foresight of the individuals who started the Lakeside Foundation 35 years ago.  We are also grateful for the donors who provided these funds.   They have grown in value and help provide the grants mentioned.  Those donors continue to make an impact to individuals in our community.  What an example they have set for the rest of us.

I hope all of you enjoy today and from time to time remember those who planted the seeds of what we see here in the background.

Thank you!

ORIGINS, Norm Frisch, 

Brockport Community Museum 

This interpretive panel reflects on the staff and administrators who had the vision to create what has evolved to be the facility that exists today. This panel was created on a voluntary basis which also reflects on the many volunteers who have supported the Brockport hospital over its history. 

My relatives, Norman and Edna Brink settled in Hamlin right after World War II and were active in area affairs. They knew May Epke well. Norman served on at least one of the planning boards for the new hospital, and Edna was a Twig volunteer who went on to co-found the hospital gift shop. They tended to be private about details. 

After my wife Diane and I moved to Brockport and started a family, Diane joined a Twig group, one of many dozens of volunteers who served selflessly—some for decades. We knew and learned from Sadie Wilson who built and coordinated a large base of hospital volunteers, many performing simple yet necessary day-to-day hospital tasks other hospitals paid for. All of these people were inspiring to me. 

Regarding the interpretive panel itself, my thanks to hospital staff member Sue Parrino who took an early interest in it, and to Jill Barrus-Palladino who cemented the commitment. To Sue Savard of the Emily Knapp Museum who provided research materials. And also to the museum committee members who provided their editorial skills in polishing the final version—especially Carol Hannan, Archie Kutz and Rob Westbrook. 

I realize many of you volunteer already, but if you do not, won’t you consider donating your time and talents to some aspect of our community? That is what will truly make America great again. 

Thank you. 

Early History of Brockport’s Hospital

1.     May H. Epke, Administrator of the Brockport Central Hospital in 1944, then at 196 South Main Street, organized the first consulting staff of 40 specialists, provided leadership to Lakeside Memorial Hospital’s first accreditation, and displayed vision, kindness, and commitment to the many volunteers.

In 1945 Epke helped organize a fund drive that made possible the construction of a 51-bed hospital on West Avenue dedicated in 1951. She was an avid supporter of the Twig Associations which played a key role in helping raise funds for further improvements and medical equipment.

In 1963, Epke led another capital campaign that added a new operating room, emergency room, dietary department, laboratory, radiology and central supply as well as 20 additional beds.

Epke retired in 1964 and died in 2001 at age 102.

2.     The Brockport Hospital, earliest known in Brockport, established in 1920 by George and Bertha Cochrane in the former home of Dona Germaine Duffy, on North Main Street (A).
3.     In 1927, the Cochranes moved the hospital to 196 South Main Street (B), formerly the home of Manley Shafer, where it remained until it failed in 1931. In 1932 the Brockport Hospital Aid Association reopened it and in 1937 the name of the facility changed to Brockport Central Hospital.
4.     In 1951, after a successful capital campaign, Lakeside Memorial Hospital opened on West Avenue (C), seen here. It was named in honor of the veterans of World War II.
5.     From The Brockport Post, July 1, 1981: “…This group of doctors tended…Brockport area patients at Lakeside Memorial Hospital. …Seated, left to right, Dr. George Fuller, Dr. Harold Collins, and Dr. Wilfred Ferguson, all of Brockport, and Dr. C.R. Keller, Hilton. Standing, left to right, Dr. Charles Ranson, Brockport; Dr. Alden Snyder, Dr. Saywer Glidden, both of Holley; Dr. Richard Williamson, Brockport; and Dr. Moses Sommers, Hamlin.”

Picture caption: This ambulance was at Luther Homuth’s service station next to the hospital when located at 196 South Main Street.

Brockport Community Museum

A Museum Without Walls

For more information about this topic, visit www.brockportcommunitymuseum.org

This panel was developed by the Brockport Community Museum Exterior Sign Committee, sponsored by the University of Rochester Medical Center, and dedicated in 2025.