MANSFIELD — Diane Cowan always knew she wanted to help people.
She started as a nurse’s aide at Mansfield General Hospital in 1964 at the age of 18. She spent a few years working in the nursery before becoming a psychiatric licensed practical nurse. Most of her 60-year career was spent in behavioral health.
“I took educational leave for college, but I’ve been there since I graduated high school,” Cowan said. “I suppose most people don’t stay on jobs for 60 years.”
Cowan has worked at the Glessner Avenue Hospital under Mansfield General, MedCentral and finally OhioHealth. She’s worked longer than any other employee in OhioHealth’s history.
Cowan officially retired from OhioHealth on April 12 at age 78. Her coworkers threw a party for her and fellow nurse Beulah earlier this month. The two have a combined 98 years of nursing experience.
“I’ve loved my career but I think it’s time to let the younger generation take over,” Cowan said.
Registered nurse Katie Dale said Cowan told her younger coworkers that she didn’t need a party.
“We wanted to celebrate her, though,” Dale said. “Diane’s literally the most positive person I’ve ever met. She’s always smiling and clearly, everybody loves her.
“She’s still running circles around us. She wears me out.”
Cowan said some of the biggest changes she’s seen in her 60 years as a nurse are medical and technological advancements. She remembers having to mix medicines herself for IV drugs before they came premixed.
“We used to chart everything by hand, longhand,” she said. “Now, the computer system helps with that.”
A family history of nursing
The Georgia native and Mansfield Senior alumna had two aunts who were nurses in New York.
Her oldest daughter is currently a nurse practitioner in the Dayton area and her youngest daughter is an LPN at the Mansfield VA clinic.
One of her granddaughters even worked with Cowan in the behavioral health unit as a therapist.
“My granddaughter Ajia is a nurse at Nationwide, and her twin sister is at North Central studying nursing too,” Cowan said.
Ajia Powers earned her nursing degree from Ashland University last year.
“I guess it runs in the family,” she said at her grandmother’s retirement party. “She sacrificed a lot and has worked so hard.
“She inspires me so much, and I’m honestly excited to see her relax. We’re going to make her go on vacation.”
Cowan said she will miss her co-workers and patients, some of whom she’s seen grow up.
“I know whole families of patients just from working there so long,” she said. “It’s a great feeling to help someone get better and feel better, that’s always the goal.”
She said she looks forward to reading, walking and spending time with her family in retirement.
“I really don’t have any specific plans, just to do what I want to do,” she said.
“Being a nurse has been my career, my hobby — just about everything. It will be nice being able to relax.”
