Written By:
Nora Wallace - Marketing and Public Relations Manager

Labor and Delivery Registered Nurse Lisa Winter retired this week after four decades of caring for Lompoc’s newest arrivals, coaching two generations of moms in caring for their infants, mentoring dozens of new OB nurses and always taking time to celebrate each child’s birth as a miracle. 

Lisa was feted during an afternoon celebration Thursday and arrived escorted by two fellow labor nurses playfully dressed to look like her, complete with short silver wigs.  

Obstetricians Dr. Rod Huss and Dr. Lloyd Trujillo bid her farewell, as did many staff members – both current and retired. 

Chief Nursing Officer Melinda DeHoyos, who was just 13 years old when she first met Lisa – and later worked alongside her in OB – talked about Lisa touching generations of the Lompoc community through her nursing. 

“Lisa has had a special role in training all our new nurses for decades, and I myself have been so fortunate to be trained by you and to work alongside you for the past 15 years,” DeHoyos said. “Everyone knows Lisa, they come in asking for Lisa, they would call asking for Lisa and they would even request Lisa to specifically work on the days they might come in to labor (I might have been one of those patients) … I have always admired your energy and passion for what you do and you will always have a special place in my heart.”  

Director of Perinatal Services Angela Fichtner said Lisa has “spent her days here being her patients’ strength, comfort and hope.” 

She leaves behind an “incredible legacy” Fichtner said, she and has been a “rock in the OB unit.”  

Dr. Huss said he sees Lisa as the television character “Radar” from the show “MASH” because she always knew what he needed before he asked for it. 

“She’s the go-to girl,” he said. “She’s always there. She’s always helpful … I want her to stay.” 

Lisa earned her LVN (Licensed Vocational Nurse) from Santa Barbara City College in 1980 and became a Registered Nurse through Allan Hancock College in 1995. She was first hired at LVMC in 1982, worked for a bit and took some time off. She was rehired in September 1992 and has been on staff ever since. 

Throughout her career at LVMC, she helped train several generations of nurses, including some she had helped deliver into the world. 

She and retired OB RN Tess Hain reminisced about their close working relationship, spotlighting a time when they handled a fast delivery without even speaking to one another, since they knew each other’s working styles and routines so well. 

“Amazing nurse, amazing friend, amazing soul,” Tess said. 

Lisa was also legendary within her department and beyond for her emotional, funny and detailed poems written for special occasions. This time, her colleague Lydia Valdez, RN, wrote one in her honor. It read, in part:  

“Some people count the years they’ve worked, 

Or the titles that they’ve earned. 

But your story is written in tiny footprints,  

And in every life you’ve touched and turned. 

You welcomed babies with gentle hands, 

And calmed each anxious heart. 

You gave mothers courage they didn’t know they had, 

And kindness from the very start.” 

During the event, Tess pointed to some relatively new nurses, and said she has “such faith in everybody that works in that department and I have such pride in them all. They’re smart people. They’re caring people. They’re great nurses. And good people. The OB department will survive.” 

Lisa said she had pledged not to cry at the ceremony but was unsuccessful. She talked about her years at the aging “old” hospital and how wonderful it was to get to work at a “new” hospital. 

“Thank you for a beautiful life and a beautiful career. The end,” she said to applause. 

As the celebration concluded, she mused, “it’s just been a wonderful career, it truly has.”