Marshall Browning Dedicates Kuehn Medical Building

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The lives well-lived of Harold and Nora Kuehn of Du Quoin and an unprecedented act of benevolence at their deaths Sunday enabled the Marshall Browning Hospital to unveil and open its state-of-the-art doctors' park on the hospital's campus.

The building will be called the Kuehn Medical Building, whose namesake was a 25-year member of the board of directors at Marshall Browning Hospital.

Kuehn was a prominent agri-businessman, and the couple's lives were marked by unconditional love for the hospital and their beloved Du Quoin.

Kuehn stood tall in business, but was soft-spoken in the way he led his life. Administrator Bill Huff said it was openly talked about as to whether to announce the gift and its size.

But, doing that would fly in the face of what the Kuehns were about--caring yet unassuming.

You can gauge the gift, however, by the fact that the cost of the new medical center approached $1 million, and by any standard the demolition of the original 1923 building, leveling that site, bricking the connecting faces to the original building and landscaping will approach another half million dollars.

The 1 p.m. program included an invocation by Rev. Joe Wagner of the First Baptist Church of Du Quoin and introduction of the Kuehn's niece, Bobbie Daw and husband Bob and family friends Randy and Renee Mitchell.

Mrs. Dawe, board members Rice and Mark Maclin, administrator Huff and building and grounds supervisor Lyle VanZandt, who oversaw construction of the building on the hospital's behalf joined doctors, nurses and staff members in cutting the ribbon.

By the end of the afternoon, approximately 350 residents and friends of the hospital would tour the beautiful new facility.

The completion of the new doctors' offices at Marshall Browning Hospital brings the dream of the hospital board to full circle. since a master plan was launched in 1996, he board has given Du Quoin a state-of-the-art outpatient services center, new emergency room, a new suite of patient rooms, a well-traveled physical rehabilitation center and Marshall Browning Estates, an independent living center without equal in Southern Illinois. A more recent amenity includes a new emergency medical evacuation landing pad in front of the original hospital. The board is expected to sign a contract this week for demolition of the original 1923 building.