Gerard Circle Giving Story
Mary Hahn Rix
Year Joined Gerard Circle: 2018
Connection to UnityPoint Health: Mary Hahn Rix’s paternal aunt, Lois Hahn Klinzing, graduated from Allen Hospital Diploma School of Nursing in 1950 and that same year, Mary was born at Allen Hospital. Mary also later graduated from the Allen diploma nursing program in 1971.
Growing up on a farm near Dysart, Iowa, her family relied on Allen Hospital for their healthcare needs. Allen played an important role in their lives across generations, providing both the care that supported Mary’s family and the nursing education that shaped her professional path.
Employment History:Mary looks back with deep gratitude on a rewarding 40-year nursing career that began when she joined the U.S. Army Nurse Corps during her senior year at Allen, alongside three of her classmates.
Her first assignment was at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, where Mary served as a staff nurse in the Intensive Care Unit and Coronary Care Unit. Following military service, she worked at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Batavia, New York. She then returned to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she gained valuable experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, and Emergency Department.
In 1985, Rix moved to California with her son and continued to expand her nursing career. She served as Nurse Manager of an Emergency Department and during this time, earned her bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco.
Mary’s career eventually brought her to Portland, Oregon, where she joined Kaiser Permanente. There, she worked in pediatric nursing and later served as RN Manager of CARES Northwest, Portland’s Child Abuse Assessment Center. She concluded her career at Kaiser Permanente’s Center for Health Research as a Clinical Research Coordinator, overseeing studies that included Merck’s Fosamax osteoporosis trial and research involving Zostavax, the first FDA-approved vaccine for shingles.
Throughout her career, Rix feels fortunate to experience a wide variety of nursing roles, each providing unique opportunities to serve patients and contribute to healthcare. And Mary says she will always be grateful for the education she received at Allen, which provided the foundation for such a diverse, meaningful, and fulfilling nursing career.
Why are you inspired to give back to the Allen Foundation and give so generously to local health care?Mary believes health care is a basic human right. No matter where you live, every individual should have access to quality, affordable health care. This belief aligns closely with the mission of UnityPoint Health – Allen Hospital and the work supported by the Allen Foundation.
What does being a member of Gerard Circle mean to you:Mary shares that being a member of Gerald Circle is deeply meaningful. She feels the fact that Gerald Circle is named in honor of Russell S. Gerard, MD, speaks volumes about the values it represents. Dr. Gerard was not only a highly skilled surgeon, but also a compassionate physician who was respected by patients, colleagues, staff, and especially nursing students. He was always willing to teach, mentor, and share his knowledge with others.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Dr. Gerard exemplified the importance of giving back to the community. He understood that none of us achieve success alone, and he served as a role model for supporting and uplifting others along the way. Mary says, “To be associated with Dr. Gerard and the values he embodied through membership in Gerald Circle is truly an honor.”
Why is philanthropy in our community/workplace important to you?:Although life's journey has taken Mary to other states, now retired and living in Portland, Oregon, she feels her roots and the values learned growing up as an Iowa farm girl remain at the heart of who she is today.
“Philanthropy is important to me because it allows us to invest in the future and make a meaningful difference in the lives of others,” shares Mary. Through her endowed nursing scholarship at Allen College, she has the opportunity to support future healthcare professionals and contribute to the quality of care in our communities for years to come.
Rix hopes her legacy will be one of compassion, service, and generosity, and that she cared about people and made a positive difference in their lives.