Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard

05/20/2026

Today the UPNHG paid tribute to our fellow colleague, Sally Marie Forsman, RN. Thank you to the Forsman family and the Bjork and Zhulkie Funeral home for allowing us to honor Sally.

While raising two preschool daughters, Sally enrolled in the nursing program at Kishwaukee Community College in DeKalb, Illinois, where the campus preschool allowed her to pursue her education. Balancing family life, studies and a household, she graduated at the top of her class with Associate Degrees in science and nursing, earning her both Summa Cum Laude and Magna Cum Laude honors. Her name remains engraved on the college plaque recognizing the outstanding students of each graduating year.

Sally began her career as an RN in the Kishwaukee Community hospital, working various shifts while raising her daughters. She served in intensive care before finding her true calling as a trauma nurse in the emergency department, where she advanced to charge nurse and later to nursing supervisor. She also served as a liaison with Safe Passage, supporting survivors of domestic violence. She then led the implementation of a new ER medical records system. Her expertise led her to a position with Empower Systems as Clinical Director for nurses, where she traveled nationwide training and supporting nursing staffs from New York to Puerto Rico and California. Always by her side was her “boy Friday”…her husband Oscar.

Beyond the hospital, Sally served as camp nurse for the North Star Art Camp in northern Minnesota, where her warmth and compassion earned her the beloved title of “Grandma Sally” among generations of campers.

Thank you Sally, for your years of dedication across so many areas of nursing. Your compassion, leadership and service left a lasting impression on the countless lives you touched and the communities you so faithfully served

03/27/2026

Today the Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard had the privilege to express our respect for Chrissy Ogea as a nurse and our gratitude for the care she has given to others.

Chrissy personified what it truly means to be a nurse. A graduate of Northern Michigan University, Class of 1982, Chrissy’s calling was clear from the start - she was born to be a nurse.

After beginning her family, Chrissy returned to school to purse her dream, a little older than some of her classmates but deeply committed to the path she knew was hers. Her career began at Acocks Medical Care Facility, where she served with compassion and skill until its closing in 2000. Chrissy had a special place in her heart for working with the elderly, particularly those in the dementia unit, where her gentle patience and understanding made a lasting difference.

Never one to shy away from new challenges, Chrissy then joined Family Care Doctors, where she spent 19 years until her retirement in 2019. Even in retirement, nursing remained at her core - she continued to care for others, including her beloved brother.

Chrissy’s colleagues remember her as a gifted teacher, a compassionate listener, and a nurse who treated every patient with equal care and respect. Her quiet demeanor and unwavering dedication inspired everyone around her. She would climb over a snow bank just to get to work. Chrissy embodied devotion in its purest form.

Nursing wasn’t just her profession - it was her passion - her purpose. Chrissy’s kindness, integrity and gentle spirit will be remembered by all those lives she touched.

Thank you to the Ogea family and the Bjork and Zhulkie Funeral Home for allowing us to honor our colleague.

03/15/2026

On March 14, 2026 the Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard remembered and honored Susan Nelson - a woman whose life was defined by compassion, purpose and commitment to others.

In 1990, Susan graduated with her Registered Nurse degree from Grand Valley State University. But even before earning her nursing degree,, she had already stepped into the medical field as a pharmacy technician, quietly preparing for a lifetime of caring for people in their most vulnerable moments. 

Susan’s heart for service led her into many areas of healthcare She worked in home health, emergency departments and hospice care - meeting patients and families in moments of urgency, uncertainty, and goodbye. She understood that healing was not just physical. It was emotional and spiritual as well.

Education was important to Susan. She earned a secondary degree in elementary education from Bob Jones University in South Carolina. Whether in a classroom, hospital room or a living room, she was always teaching - offering knowledge, reassurance and hope.

Over time, Susan saw clearly the deep connection between nursing and mental health. She recognized that many wounds cannot be seen, yet they are just as real. With that understanding she returned to Grand Valley State University to pursue her Masters Degree in clinical therapy.

Susan went on to open two therapy clinics - first in North Dakota, and another in 2022, after relocating to Curtis.. There she provided private counseling for individuals and families facing depression, marriage struggles, PTSD and addiction. This was never a 9 to 5 job for her. Susan met people where they were - whether that meant early mornings, late evenings, or rearranging her own schedule to make space for someone in need. If someone was ready to show up, Susan was ready to be there.

What made Susan truly special was the way she blended her careers. She combined the steady hands of a nurse with the listening heart of a therapist and the guiding spirit of a teacher. She treated the whole person - body, mind and soul. That rare combination allowed her to connect deeply with those she served, offering both practical care and profound understanding.

Though we mourn her loss we celebrate a life fully lived in service to others. Susan did not just choose a career - she chose a calling. And through that calling, she changed countless lives.

The Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard would like to thank the Nelson family and Beaulieu Funeral Home for allowing us to pay tribute to Susan Nelson.

03/05/2026

Today we celebrated the life and nursing career of Sue Sullivan.

Sue began her nursing journey at Northern Michigan University graduating in 1973 as an LPN. Even then, those who knew her understood that nursing was not simply a job she had chosen - it was a calling she had answered. With determination and a deep commitment to her patients, she continued her education at Suomi College earning her RN degree in 1989. She believed in growing, and learning, and in becoming the very best nurse she could be for the people who depended on her.

Sue dedicated 44 years of her life to nursing, most of them spent at Baraga County Memorial Hospital. In a small town hospital, a nurse doesn’t just work in one specialty - she becomes everything her community needs. And Sue was ready for all of it. She worked in every field of nursing, adapting, learning and stepping in wherever she was called. She especially loved the emergency room. There was energy there, unpredictability - “always something different happening” she would say. She thrived in those moments, where quick thinking and steady hands made all the difference.

Sue’s nursing didn’t stop when she clocked out.

In a small town, you never really stop “being the nurse”. If someone was injured at a baseball game the call went out “Where’s Sue?” She knew everyone and everyone knew her. She carried her skills, not as a badge of authority, but as a gift to be shared freely.

Auntie Suzie helped everyone in the community. She treated neighbors, friends, strangers, and generations of families. She likely cared for children and later cared for those same children as adults. That is the quiet beauty of small town nursing - you don’t just treat patients, you walk alongside families through their lives.

When Sue retired in 2018, she closed a professional chapter, but she never stopped being a nurse at heart. Because for Sue, nursing was not simply employment, it was her life‘s work. May we carry forward her kindness, her readiness to help and her unwavering commitment to others.

A nurse in title and a caregiver in spirit.

That was Sue’s life.

Thank you to the Sullivan family and the Reid Funeral Chapel for having the Upper Peninsula Nurse Honor Guard pay tribute to our colleague

03/01/2026

February 28, 2026 the Upper Peninsula Nurse Honor Guard celebrated the professional life of Judith Ann Panula.

Judith graduated with honors from Northern Michigan University in 1966, earning her degree as a Liscensed Practical Nurse.

She became the first LPN at Newberry Regional Mental Health, dedicating 26 years of faithful service to an often underserved and vulnerable population. Judith did not simply work there - she built something meaningful. She helped shape the role of LPN’s within the organization, supervising LPN’s and setting a standard of professionalism, skill and heart.

Though she served many, children held a special place in Judith’s heart. According to her daughter, she had countless memories of helping others, but caring for children was always her preference. Her compassion did not end when her shift was over. On weekends, she would often bring children home to be with her own family, offering them warmth, stability and love when they needed it most. For many, she was more than a nurse - she was safety, comfort and kindness personified.

Even beyond her long career, Judith continued to give. She volunteered at Helen Newberry Joy Hospital, serving one-on-one as a babysitter, providing steady presence and reassurance to patients who needed someone close by. It was simply who she was - someone who showed up.

Judith was viewed as an outstanding nurse, but more importantly, she was a devoted caregiver who saw people - especially children - not as cases, but as precious lives deserving dignity and love. Her work in mental health, in a community that deeply needed her dedication, leaves a legacy that cannot be measured in years alone.

Her life reminds us that true nursing is not just a profession - it is a calling and Judith answered that call every single day.

The Upper Peninsula Nurse Honor Guard thanks the Panula family and the Beaulieu Funeral Home for allowing us to honor our colleague.

02/22/2026

UPNHG gathered February 20 to honor Kathleen Andel, a woman of courage, warmth, and remarkable determination.

Kathy graduated from Northern Michigan University as an LPN and began a life of service that would define her. In 1970, she enlisted in the Women’s Army Corps. When the Corps disbanded in the mid 1970s, she became one of the first LPNs to serve in the regular army - she simply stepped forward when history shifted.

After her military service, Kathy practiced in Calumet in the Obstetrics department, caring for mothers and newborns at some of life‘s most tender moments. When trends suggested LPN roles might be phased out, a friend encouraged her to attend radiology school. With just $40 in her pocket, classes to start on Monday and nowhere to stay, Kathy headed to Marquette. She worried she didn’t have the math skills required. “No problem” her friend said “you don’t need math - besides I’ll help you” Well her friend lied! Kathy persevered, did the work and succeeded. 

She took her skills to Marquette General Hospital working in the Cardiac Cath Lab and Radiation Oncology. She retired in 2003 after a long and meaningful career serving patients in two demanding fields with skill and compassion.

Just last May, she was honored as a member of the first women’s honor flight of 2025 a fitting tribute to a woman who served a country with pride.

But beyond her accomplishments, what people remember most is who she was. Co-workers say she was the happiest person they knew, gave everything she had. Passionate. Always positive. Always smiling. She had a gift for connection. When Kathy met you, she truly saw you - and the next time she saw you, she would remember. She would ask you about your family, your story, your last conversation. She made people feel known.

Kathy had a simple motto “service is my love language”. And she lived it every day. Whether she was caring for patients, standing beside a fellow soldier, helping a co-worker, or remembering the small details of someone’s life, she showed her love through action.

We will carry her forward by choosing kindness, by persevering when things feel uncertain, and by smiling - just a little more - because that’s what Kathy would do.

Thank you to the Andel family and the Canale Funeral Home for inviting the Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard to pay tribute to our colleague Kathleen Andel

01/23/2026

Today, January 23, 2026 the Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard had the honor to pay tribute to our colleague Marcia Bogdan.

Marcia began her journey earning her degree from Northern Michigan University. That education laid the foundation for a long and varied career. One built on strong, clinical judgment, lifelong learning and a deep respect for the profession of nursing.

Throughout her career, Marcia worked in many different departments, gaining broad experiences across healthcare settings. She was adaptable and confident, able to move between specialties with ease. Early in her career, she worked closely with Dr. Tobin, providing skilled nursing care in a clinical setting. She understood the importance of collaboration between nurse and physician, and she carried that partnership with confidence and mutual respect.

Marcia had a particular love for pharmacology. Medications were not just a task to complete, but knowledge to be mastered. If anyone asked her about their medication, she knew it thoroughly. Her expertise made her a trusted resource to coworkers and a steady safeguard for patient safety.

Marcia also served as a nurse with the Michigan Department of Corrections. Correctional nursing requires a unique blend of strength, vigilance, fairness, and emotional control. She understood that nursing care does not stop at locked doors and that professionalism must remain constant, even in the most challenging environments.

She was also known for her humor. When faced within inappropriate inmate behavior, Marcia met it not with fear or escalation, she met it with sarcasm, wit, and well-timed jokes. Humor was one of her professional tools. It allowed her to set firm boundaries, maintain control and demonstrate quiet confidence. It was a strength that served her well and earned her respect.

Thank you to the Bogden family and the Canale Funeral Home for allowing the Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard to honor our colleague 

11/22/2025

https://www.dailypress.net/news/local-news/2025/11/up-honor-guard-recognizes-past-nurses-with-ceremony/

ESCANABA — A group of nurses 100 strong and growing performs ceremonies across the Upper Peninsula for past nurses who have served as RNs, LPNs and NPs before, caring for the sick and in need. The Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard brings “Nightingale Tributes” to recognize and honor their own...

11/14/2025

Today, the UPNHG honored Sue Ann Bellmore, BSN (November 14, 1959-November 10, 2025)

Nursing calls each of us in different ways. Some of us feel it early. Others discover it later, after life has already stretched and shaped us. Sue answered that call with courage determination, and a deep desire to serve. After nearly 30 years working for Humana, she returned to school earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and stepped forward into a new chapter of caregiving with the same kindness, dedication, and compassion that marked her entire life.
She cared for her patients as a home health nurse, bringing skill, comfort, and dignity directly into the homes of the people who needed her most. Home health nursing is a special kind of service. It requires independence, patience, creativity, and a gentle presence. Sue had all of these and more. She was known for being quick to help and quick to love. She walked into he lives of her patients with open hands, a willing spirit and a heart that saw every person worthy of care. The impact of her work continues far beyond today.
As nurses, we honor not only what Sue did, but who she was. Sue lived her life with the spirit of a nurse long before she ever wore the title. Kindness was her instinct. Compassion was her nature. Service was her way of moving through the world. The world is a richer place because of her enormous heart, and our nursing community is honored to have counted her as one of our own.
The UPNHG thanks the Bellmore family and Allo Coolman Funeral Homes for allowing us to honor our colleague.

11/08/2025

Today, the Upper Peninsula Nurses Honor Guard honored Carol Jean Lukkari, BSN (June 23, 1951-November 1, 2025) at the Siloa Lutheran Church in Ontonagon, Michigan.
Carol devoted her life to caring for others. Over her 22 years with Horizon Home Care, she touched nearly every family in Ontonagon county, bringing comfort, compassion, and skill to those she served.
After retiring once from a long nursing career in Waden at the Tri-County Hospital where she served practically every department, Carol moved to Ontonagon. But the call to service was still strong. She became Horizons very first hire in 2002, learning new technology with her usual determination and quickly becoming the heart of the team.
Carol's care went far beyond medical duties. If a patient was hungry, she fed them. If their power went out, she stayed with them until it came back on. She even kept treats in her pockets for their pets. Many nights, she and her husband Gary drove long miles to reach someone in need.
She mentored new nurses frequently calling them her ‘kids”. Through her teaching and influence, she earned a reputation as Horizon’s queen of infection control and an unwavering example of professionalism and kindness. Her dedication continued right up until her second retirement in 2023.
Carol's family, friends, coworkers, and patients remember her as a nurse who gave her whole heart to every person she met. Her legacy lives on in every life she touched - with gentle hands, a steady spirit, and a heart full of grace.

The UPNHG extends their thankfulness to the Lukkari Family, Cane Funeral Home and the Siloa Lutheran Church for allowing us to honor our colleague.