Recognizing Influential Women: Burdonne Young
Emma “Burdonne” Fayard Young’s long-time association with Memorial made her name synonymous with the hospital. In fact, her license plate once read “Ms. MHG”.
Born in Woolmarket, Ms. Young received her nurse’s training at the Old Biloxi Hospital. In 1950, she was employed by Memorial. She began her career as a charge nurse in the surgical unit, and she was promoted within three months to Head Surgical Nurse. She served as Director of Nursing from September 1960 to December 1965. In 1972, Ms. Young was elected Employee of the Year at Memorial. She then assumed the position of administrative supervisor until 1984.
She retired in September 1984 only to return five years later, in 1990. On her “second go-around,” Ms. Young received the Donald Evans Sutter Award from the Memorial Hospital Foundation for her dedication, devotion, service and support to Memorial and the community.
In 2001, the Burdonne Young Scholarship Program was established by the Memorial Hospital Foundation. Since that time, numerous scholarships have been awarded in both healthcare and non-healthcare related fields.
Burdonne Young passed away at the age of 94 on August 26, 2009. In 2011, the Mississippi Nurses Association posthumously inducted Ms. Young into the Mississippi Nurses Association Hall of Fame. Ms. Young was a member of the Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Mississippi Nurses Association, American Nurses Association, Memorial Hospital Foundation Board and Coalville Methodist Church.
