The lake was quiet that winter morning, sunlight glinting off the ice as Howard (“Howie”) Haupt dropped a line into the cold water. Beside him sat his JRMC Hospice social worker, Karolee, who had brought her family along to share the day. Between casts, Howie told stories that blended with the gentle rhythm of fishing and laughter.
Later, she surprised him with a photo book from that day — each page a memory, a moment of joy preserved.
“It made his year,” says his daughter, Bonnie. “He was a storyteller, and that fishing trip gave him one last great story to tell.”
For two years, JRMC Hospice cared for Howie — visiting weekly, and eventually daily, ensuring he had the equipment, medicine and support he needed. But more than that, they gave him time, dignity and connection.
“They were very intentional every time they visited,” says Bonnie. “It always felt like they had all the time in the world.”
Hospice, she explained, isn’t just for the final days. “It’s important that people know you don’t have to be at the very end stages of life to benefit from hospice.”
For Howie, it meant staying home — exactly where he wanted to be. “Everything turned out just how we hoped,” Bonnie says. “He was able to stay home, just like he wanted.”
As a former JRMC nurse, Bonnie knew she wanted her father’s care to come from the team she trusted most. “It’s important to support our local healthcare services. JRMC truly cares about this community.”
30 years of hospice
Since 1995, JRMC Hospice has stood beside families like the Haupts — offering not only medical care, but compassion, understanding and presence. For 30 years, they have helped families celebrate life’s final season with peace and purpose. Each visit, each conversation, each shared story becomes part of a greater legacy — one that reminds us that love does not end when life does.
This anniversary marks more than time passed; it honors the lives, like Howie’s, that have shaped what JRMC Hospice is today — a reflection of kindness, courage and community.
As JRMC Hospice celebrates 30 years of service, we recognize the caregivers, volunteers and families who have made this work possible. Together, they have created a tradition of care that reaches far beyond our walls — a legacy built on trust, compassion and connection.
Because hospice isn’t about saying goodbye. It’s about cherishing the time we have — and the love that remains.