Annette McDaniel, nurse case-manager at UNC Health Lenoir, and an employee this year for 40 years, says she was so surprised and a bit overwhelmed to learn recently that she is indeed related to the McDaniel family that started the hospital history in Kinston 117 years ago on June 27th.  

On June 27th, 1906, the Robert Bruce McDaniel Memorial Hospital, located on East Gordon Street, was opened with 20 beds and was the first real hospital in eastern North Carolina. The first Board of Managers, which were all women, were responsible for the charity care supervision. The hospital was under the direction of Dr. James M. Parrott and Dr. W. Thomas Parrott, who were requested to meet stipulations set by the James A. McDaniel family who gave their home to be used as a hospital. 

That first hospital building no longer exists in Kinston and the location and names of the subsequent hospitals evolved with changes in ownership and over time. But there is no doubt that this started a legacy of care that exists today for residents in our community. 

Annette McDaniel admits that she wondered a few times if there might be family connection to “those  McDaniels” and even joked with her family about the McDaniel name that came up a lot in the hospital centennial celebration in 2003, and again later when the McDaniel- Walker sleep lab was named. Little did she know that she has a genuine connection: her great-grandfather was a first cousin of James  

Alexander McDaniel. Recently, another McDaniel descendant helped make the family connection for her. 

Annette relates she has always known that it was her destiny to nurse in this hospital and considers it a privilege to be in her chosen career. After finishing LPN nursing school at LCC in 1983, she joined the hospital staff and never thought of working anywhere else. She has worked in the OR, ED, CCU and FBC.  “The 15 years I case-managed in the Lenoir ED, I loved best,” she says. She acknowledges a lot of changes have been made in healthcare delivery over her career, but she says she loves her work team and always feels satisfaction helping patients and their families find resources to get home and get better. 

She gets a bit emotional thinking about the span of ancestors that strived for improvements in Jones and Lenoir Counties. Annette’s lifetime of nursing gathers a thread in a tapestry that started 117 years ago.  Annette marvels at this and says with a laugh, “In a huge world, I never knew there was a larger connection to me being here. Now, I know.” During 2023, we recognize a legacy of 117 years of hospital care in Lenoir County and Annette McDaniel, LPN for 40 years of dedicated service in our hospital. 

Submitted by Constance Hengel, Executive Director, Lenoir Hospital Foundation.