Theresa Kovacich, RN, MSN
Executive Director
Theresa's grandparents came from Croatia to work the mines near Frontenac. She has been a hospice nurse in Crawford County for twenty-six years.
Our people
Meet our team
Nurses, aides, a chaplain and social workers who grew up in these five counties.
Our team
The people at your door
Dr. Samuel Ruiz
Hospice Medical Director
Board certified in hospice and palliative medicine. He makes house calls on Tuesdays and Thursdays and answers his phone on weekends.
Brenda Nash, RN
Night Nurse Supervisor
Brenda has run our night shift for eleven years. She's the voice most families hear at 2 a.m.
Fr. Michael Benedetti
Chaplain
A Catholic priest who serves families of every faith, and who knows when to pray and when to just keep someone company.
Angela Petrakis, LSCSW
Medical Social Worker
Angela handles KanCare, VA forms and advance directives, and leads our Wednesday grief supper.
Joseph Ellis, CNA
Hospice Aide
Joe does evening visits, helping patients wash up and settle in. Families say he has the gentlest hands in the county.
Mary Pistotnik
Volunteer Coordinator
Mary trains our night sitters and vigil volunteers. She has sat with more than two hundred families herself.
Sample family reviews
In families' own words
Dad's breathing changed at 1 a.m. on a Sunday. Brenda answered on the second ring and was in our driveway thirty minutes later. I will never forget her headlights.
Joe came every night at eight to get Mom ready for bed. She called him 'my young man' and waited up for him.
A volunteer sat with us the whole last night so we could take turns sleeping. We were never alone.
Father Benedetti gave Grandpa last rites and then stayed for coffee and talked about the old Slovenian hall. Grandpa laughed. It was his last good afternoon.
Angela had Dad's VA paperwork, the will and the funeral plans done in a week. I didn't have to make a single phone call.
Dr. Ruiz came to the house and sat with us for an hour, explaining everything. He never once looked at his watch.
The violinist played Mom's favorite waltz the evening before she died. Her fingers moved on the blanket like she was dancing.
The Wednesday grief supper got me through my first winter alone. I still go, and now I bring the pie.
Call tonight. Someone's awake.
A hospice nurse answers every hour. Ask anything; nothing is decided until you're ready.