Image: John Autey / St. Paul Pioneer Press
In an inspiring end to a record-setting career, Joyce Gimmestad, Minnesota’s oldest known working nurse, has officially retired at age 88. After seven decades of service, she’s finally hung up her stethoscope, wrapping up a journey that spanned countless advances in healthcare and touched countless lives.
Joyce’s story starts in Herman, Minnesota, a town of just 400 people, where she grew up as one of 11 children. In 1954, in a world where medicine looked very different, she earned her nursing license right before her 18th birthday and jumped into a field that would define her life. Though she originally hoped to study at Ancker Hospital in St. Paul, the cost was out of reach for her family. So, she found a nursing program at Swedish Hospital in Minneapolis that offered a one-year course, including room, board, and uniforms, all for a fraction of the price.
Over the years, Joyce’s nursing journey took her through multiple facilities, from hospitals to nursing homes to home healthcare. Her final stretch was at The Villas at New Brighton, where she spent her last 12 years, clocking 50 to 60 hours a week even through the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Imagine seeing everything from paper charts to electronic health records, or watching diagnostic tools grow more sophisticated over the years. Joyce saw it all. She navigated changes in technology, treatment approaches, and patient care with remarkable grace, keeping her skills sharp while embracing new tools and methods.
Coworkers recall her incredible work ethic, even during the most demanding times. One of her coworkers, Joyce Smith, shared how she rarely saw Joyce slow down: “She was always busy, never sat down, always moving to help residents. For her age, she was really on the go.”
Her daughter, Sue Rothstein, often saw her mom’s “get-it-done-yesterday” attitude firsthand. At Joyce’s retirement party, Sue remembers a touching moment when a resident in a wheelchair stood up to give Joyce a hug, saying, “We’re gonna miss you.”
For Joyce, nursing was always about more than technology or protocol—it was about human connection. Reflecting on her early years, she mentioned how much the nurse-patient relationship has changed since she started. Back then, nursing had a more formal tone, with strict etiquette for interactions with doctors. Yet, through all the shifts in healthcare, Joyce held fast to the values of kindness and care, believing that nothing could replace the personal touch in nursing.
Retiring wasn’t an easy decision for Joyce. After all, nursing had been her life for as long as she could remember. She hoped to make it to 90 before retiring, but a rare eye condition that threatens her sight made her decide it was time. When her vision made it impossible to use the computer, she knew it was time to step back saying, “That’s it, I gotta quit.”
Though a bittersweet decision, her retirement marks the close of a lifelong calling she embraced wholeheartedly.
Joyce’s commitment extended far beyond the walls of hospitals and clinics. She once owned a flower shop for 25 years, often bringing in flowers for her patients. She even kept up an adventurous spirit—her most recent bucket list check-off was skydiving!
And Joyce’s hard work didn’t go unnoticed. She recently received a special recognition from the U.S. House of Representatives, along with an American flag, in appreciation of her service. “I was so shocked when it came in the mail,” she said, smiling. “It was really nice.”
As Joyce looks back on her extraordinary career, her journey reminds us of the incredible impact that one dedicated healthcare professional can make. Her adaptability, commitment, and compassion show just how meaningful a nursing career can be. From bedside care to home health, she adapted to the diverse paths within nursing, always open to change and challenges.
Joyce has left an example for new generations of nurses to follow. Her daughter Sue summed it up well: “It’s pretty amazing when you think about it, to work in this profession, which is so hard, and to stay with it for so many years.”
