LAWRENCE CO. — An exceptional service is available to honor the lives and contributions of deceased nurses in West Central Indiana. The Nursing Honor Guard, a group of retired and active volunteer nurses, provides a final tribute to their fellow professionals at the request of the family.
Established in 2018 with the help of Indiana University Health, the Nursing Honor Guard serves families of deceased Registered or Licensed Practical Nurses in Lawrence and surrounding counties. These services are provided as a gift to the families.
The Honor Guard offers a variety of commemorative services during visitations or funeral services, including:
- Providing a table display at the funeral home to honor the nurse’s commitment to their profession.
- Standing vigil at the nurse’s casket.
- Reciting “A Nurse’s Prayer.”
- Announcing the last roll call for the nurse, extinguishing the flame of a Florence Nightingale lamp, and presenting the lamp to a family member.
- Providing commemorative bookmarks to immediate family members.
The Florence Nightingale lamp, a key symbol in the ceremony, represents the legacy of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing, who was known as “the Lady with the Lamp.” The Honor Guard’s services are a way to acknowledge the contributions of nurses to their community and profession.
To request the Nursing Honor Guard’s services, a funeral home director should contact the Honor Guard’s representative, RN Janet Conder, at 812-360-7332 or LPN Teresa Lucius at 812-340-1862.
