McKenzie Memorial Hospital came into being after the hospital’s namesake, Kenneth H. McKenzie, left a bequest for the establishment of a hospital. McKenzie, a banker, merchant, and life-long resident of the area, operated a store in Sandusky for 56 years. He died on December 12, 1959, and left $214,772.00 to the community.

Though that amount itself was not enough to finance the cost of the much-needed medical facility, the bequest set the stage for the hospital to be developed.

Orval C. Finkbeiner, at the time Mayor of Sandusky, appointed a fact-finding committee on March 21, 1960. That committee, comprised of 26 public-spirited citizens, formed the McKenzie Memorial Hospital Association and ten months later organized a non-profit hospital corporation.

The committee commissioned a University of Michigan study of the available facilities and the projected needs of the area. By October 1962 the architectural firm of Frederick E. Wingen and a hospital consultant, Patrick Monoghan, were hired.

A plan was developed for a 25-bed facility with a projected price tag of $500,000.00. The plan allowed for additional wings to be built with the potential for growth to 50 beds.

In April of 1963 a two-hospital plan was announced. It called for the development of the McKenzie Hospital to be built in conjunction with a Sanilac County convalescent hospital which had been proposed some time earlier. The two hospitals were to have been operated independently, though McKenzie would buy services from the county facility.

This plan was opposed by some because of the fear that county funds would be used to underwrite the cost of operating and maintaining the medical hospital. Therefore, the combined facility plan was abandoned in favor of self-contained units. Today the hospital provides services to the county facility.

The hospital association was given, for a nominal fee, a 99-year lease with option to renew on county acreage, its present site. In October 1964 the site was purchased from the county for $5,200. The purchase allowed construction of the hospital to begin more quickly.

One year later, a physicians’ committee was formed to draft medical staff rules. By January, 1966, Blue Cross approval was obtained. The first chief of staff was the late K. T. McGunegle, M.D.

Throughout this period, area residents, service organizations such as the Lion’s Club, friends and local industry were generously contributing to various fund drives for the development of the hospital. With an estimated cost of $500,000 the funding campaign was no small task.

On April 7, 1966, Allan J. Loding, building committee chairman, and Charles W. Rigney, president of the Hospital Board of Directors, turned over the first shovel full of dirt. Shortly after the groundbreaking ceremony an additional fund drive was launched to cover the cost of an increased number of beds. Even as plans changed, construction progressed smoothly.

The dedication ceremony was held June 4, 1967, with Rigney cutting the ribbon for the official opening of the hospital. In a city with a population of 2,500 an estimated 2,560 people showed up for the ceremonies – more evidence of the exuberant community support.

The dedication was saddened by the death of Mayor Orval Finkbeiner who was stricken with a heart attack in the middle of the ceremony.

The first patient, Mrs. Nora Kearns of Carsonville, was admitted to the hospital on Monday, June 27, 1967. The first baby was delivered six days later – a son born to Mr. & Mrs. Douglas Campbell of Sandusky.

Just under a year later, McKenzie Memorial Hospital asked the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals to make its first survey. It passed with flying colors and received a rare three-year accreditation. It has received high grades on every JACH survey since.

A new wing was dedicated in May, 1973. The $200,000 structure included the addition of 12 beds in semi-private rooms and also a three-bed unit with intensive monitoring equipment.

A clinic building was added in 1980, bringing the hospital to its current capacity of 43 beds.

McKenzie Memorial Hospital has continued to grow to serve the needs of the community. In June 1998, an open house was held to celebrate the opening of the medical office, Suite B, and the Physical Rehabilitation & Sports Medicine Center, Suite A, at McKenzie East, formerly the A&P Store. In 2001 Suite C was remodeled to house our orthopedic surgeon.

In 1998 a capital campaign was held to raise $350,000 of a $1.55 million construction and renovation project. A radiology center was constructed in the court yard area and a permanent CT scan is part of this center. Also included in this construction and renovation project was an addition to the dining room. Air conditioning was added to the kitchen, dining area, and hallways. Renovations included the nurses’ station and pediatric unit being moved to the north end of the hospital and the Cardiopulmonary and EKG areas were moved to where the nurses’ station and pediatric unit were. New energy efficient windows and doors were installed throughout the hospital. The construction and renovation project provided for centralized and more convenient access to services.

The campaign was completed in December 1998 with donations in excess of $355,000 from hospital staff, community, businesses and industries. On March 7, 1999, an open house was given for the public to view the construction and renovation project.

McKenzie Memorial Hospital has relied upon the community for financial support and upon volunteers when their time was needed, just as the community has relied upon McKenzie Memorial Hospital for high quality healthcare in their times of need.

In the fall of 2002, McKenzie Hospital was approved as a Critical Access Hospital. In the winter of 2003 approval was received to have “Transitional Units” or swing beds.

On September 30, 2002, Joseph W. Weiler retired after 35 years as CEO of McKenzie. Interim CEO Wes Oswald was hired until the Board could find a permanent CEO. In May 2003 Diane D. Torres was hired for the CEO position. She resigned in September 2005. In November 2005 JoAnn Hall was hired as President/CEO.

In July 2005, a groundbreaking ceremony was held for the construction of the McKenzie Health and Wellness Center. In December 2006, it was open for business. This 6,000 square foot building houses our physical therapy department and a medical physician with another medical office available. There is a 15 x 25 foot pool used for aquatic therapy for physical therapy patients and aqua aerobics classes for the general public. The large exercise area has many pieces of the most modern equipment for our physical therapy programs. There is also a walking track available for use by the general public Monday through Friday at no charge.