Eileen M. Hallman Scholarship Benefits Swedish Nurses
“I heard this lovely voice speaking to me, and I knew I had to find out more about her.” --Dr. George Hallman.
And so begins the fairy-tale romance of a young nurse, Eileen McKeever, recently graduated from Swedish Covenant Hospital’s School of Nursing, and a 19-yr old airman, George Hallman, injured during the Korean war and rehabilitating at Hines Veterans Hospital in Chicago. After a chance encounter at a Hospital telephone booth, George was immediately smitten and spent the next several months trying to win her affection. Eileen, who was adamant about adhering to the hospital policy of not dating patients, eventually gave in to his boyish charms and began secretly dating George until his discharge, almost a year later.
Once wed, they moved from Chicago to Georgia so George could obtain his degree in Psychology. Eileen went back into the field of nursing and together, they welcomed two sons. The family moved once more to South Carolina, where Eileen worked as an Occupational Health Nurse for the next 25 years, and George worked as a University Professor in Psychology. According to George, life for the Hallman family was happy and full of adventure. George and Eileen spent their free time running marathons and triathlons across the globe, including the Boston Marathon three times and two above the Arctic circle.
They were an inseparable couple for 62 years until Eileen passed away in June of 2019. In a loving tribute to Eileen’s life of generosity, compassion, and service to others, Dr. Hallman created the Eileen M. Hallman Scholarship, an endowed scholarship at Swedish Hospital which will provide tuition assistance to a Swedish nurse seeking to continue his/her education. For Dr. Hallman, Swedish Hospital’s School of Nursing was where Eileen’s passion for nursing began and believes that Eileen would have been delighted to provide that same opportunity to another student nurse.
To learn more about creating a lasting tribute to a loved one, please contact the Foundation office at 773-293-5121, or email at schfoundation@schosp.org.