In 1959, Vince Lombardi became the head coach for Green Bay’s football team and “On Wisconsin” was adopted as the official state song. It was also the year Helen Kuczmarski began her career with Warner S. Bump Medical Group in Rhinelander, and after nearly 54 years of service, she retired from Ministry Health Care on Friday, May 31.

Kuczmarski held several positions throughout her career after starting as an obstetrics and gynecology assistant. She also worked in internal medicine and spent 25 years as the supervisor of medical assistance, workers compensation and commercial claims. Two weeks shy of her 54th anniversary, she retired as the hospital charge prep coordinator for Ministry Medical Group in Rhinelander.

Her co-workers surprised her with a retirement party in the Ministry Saint Mary’s Hospital cafeteria.

“This is a very bittersweet day for me, as I love all of the providers and wonderful people I’ve worked with over the years,” Kuczmarski said. “I’ll miss my friends and co-workers the most. This has been my whole life and I really enjoyed my job and the work.”

“Helen was such a pleasure to work with and I’d like to thank her for her dedication and service,” Ministry Sacred Heart/Saint Mary’s coding and EHR application manager, Pam Dering-Schmidt, said. “She was a valued member of the Ministry Medical Group family and we wish her well in retirement.”

Kuczmarski plans to stay active in retirement by taking a few trips and visiting her three children. “I also hope to spend some time in my garden during the day, which is something I haven’t been able to enjoy,” she said.

She retired as one of the longest-tenured Ministry Health Care employees in the history of the organization.