News & Media
After more than 47 years of caring for patients in Franklin County, longtime Weems Memorial Hospital Clinical Laboratory Technologist Jean Roberts has retired.
For Roberts, a career at Weems was also a return home. Born and raised in Apalachicola, she graduated from Chapman High School in 1965 before moving to Indianapolis, Indiana, where she attended the Indiana Institute of Technology and earned her degree as a Clinical Laboratory Technologist.
Roberts began her career in Indianapolis, working in a physician’s office and managing its laboratory. In 1978, she returned to Apalachicola and joined Weems Memorial Hospital that October.
She would remain a familiar face in the Weems Laboratory Department for the next 47 years.
Over the decades, Roberts cared for generations of Franklin County residents, including many patients she had known for much of her life. Her knowledge and experience made her an important part of the laboratory team, while her friendly, positive nature made her someone patients and coworkers came to know and trust.
“Jean represents something very special about Weems,” said David Walker, CEO of Weems Memorial Hospital. “She came home and devoted nearly five decades of her career to caring for people in the community where she was raised. The experience and dependability she brought to our hospital are remarkable, but just as important is the way she treated people. We are grateful for everything Jean has given to Weems and to Franklin County.”
Roberts’ long tenure has been recognized by Weems throughout the years. In 2023, she was named Employee of the Month after being nominated for her dedicated work in the Laboratory Department and the friendly and positive attitude she brought to caring for patients.
Her own explanation for staying at Weems was much simpler. In a 2020 employee feature, Roberts said, “I love my job and the folks I work with!”
That love for her work carried Roberts through a laboratory career spanning more than five decades and a Weems career that began in 1978.
Weems recently celebrated Roberts and her retirement with coworkers, friends and family.
“Nearly forty-eight years with one hospital is an extraordinary legacy,” Walker said. “Jean has been part of Weems for so much of its history, and she will always be part of the Weems family. We wish her a wonderful and well-deserved retirement.”
Friday, August 14, 2026
APALACHICOLA, Fla. — George E. Weems Memorial Hospital is one of seven rural hospitals participating in a regional collaborative awarded nearly $11.2 million in Year 1 funding through Florida’s Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP), administered by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA).
The five-year Specialty & Acute Care Bundle, led by Calhoun Liberty Hospital, will expand access to specialty care, strengthen emergency services and improve care coordination across Northwest Florida.
The collaborative includes:
- Calhoun Liberty Hospital
- Doctors Memorial Hospital (Bonifay)
- Doctors’ Memorial Hospital (Perry)
- George E. Weems Memorial Hospital (Apalachicola)
- Jackson Hospital (Marianna)
- Madison County Memorial Hospital
- Northwest Florida Community Hospital (Chipley)
Together, the partner hospitals serve residents across Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Walton and Washington counties.
Expanding Access to Care Close to Home
For patients in Franklin County, this initiative means greater access to specialized care without traveling long distances.
As the program is implemented, Weems patients will have access to:
- Cardiology, oncology and neurology specialists through secure video visits
- Expanded behavioral and mental health services through telehealth
- Faster emergency stroke evaluations with immediate specialist consultation
- Shared technology that helps participating hospitals securely coordinate patient care
Implementation will occur in phases during the program’s first year as participating hospitals complete readiness activities. Specific service launch dates for Weems will be announced as they become available.
“This partnership gives Franklin County patients access to specialty care without a long drive to get it,” said David Walker, CEO of George E. Weems Memorial Hospital. “Our patients will be able to connect with cardiology, oncology and neurology specialists by video right here at Weems, and reach stroke specialists quickly when every minute matters. This is about increased access to care for the communities we serve.”
The Florida Rural Health Transformation Program is designed to strengthen healthcare delivery across the state’s rural communities by supporting regional partnerships that improve access to care, expand services and enhance patient outcomes.
Monday, July 27, 2026 –
Sometimes, the smallest interactions leave the biggest impression.
Whether he’s helping a patient, welcoming a visitor or supporting a coworker, Logan Anderson is known for treating people with kindness, professionalism and respect. Those qualities recently earned him recognition as Weems Memorial Hospital’s Employee of the Month.
Logan was nominated by a colleague who described him as a go-getter with a positive attitude and exceptional customer service skills. The nomination praised his willingness to take on new responsibilities with a smile and noted that “the space provided wasn’t enough to write everything I appreciate about Logan.”
During the recognition, Weems Memorial Hospital CEO David Walker shared a story that perfectly captured why Logan was selected. After a positive interaction with Logan, a visitor later reached out to Walker to share how much Logan’s kindness and professionalism had meant during a visit to the hospital. That interaction made such a lasting impression that the visitor later chose to support Weems Memorial Hospital through a generous philanthropic gift.
While Logan has since transitioned from patient admissions to the Finance Department, the qualities that earned him this recognition have remained the same.
Chief Nursing Officer Courtney Alford said Logan stood out from the very beginning.
“From day one, we recognized that Logan was someone we wanted to keep,” Alford said. “He carries himself well, speaks to everyone and represents the kind of person you want in your organization.”
She added that Logan exemplifies the level of customer service and professionalism Weems strives to provide every patient, visitor and family member.
For Logan, the recognition is meaningful because of what Weems has become to him.
“It used to feel like I had a job. Now it feels like a career,” he said. “It’s nice to feel that way, and it’s nice to know you’re appreciated.”
Weems Memorial Hospital congratulates Logan Anderson on this well-deserved recognition and thanks him for the compassion, professionalism and positive attitude he brings to our patients, visitors and colleagues every day.
June 30, 2026 –
A new exam room bed is now in place at the Weems Medical Center West in Apalachicola, thanks to a $5,000 gift from the Weems Memorial Healthcare Foundation.
The donation is part of the Foundation’s Comfort, Care and Stronger Community campaign – a 2026 fundraising priority focused on updating clinic equipment across both the West and East Clinic locations and the main campus of WMH. The goal is $40,000, with funds going toward new exam beds and specialty equipment designed to create a safer, more comfortable environment for every patient who walks through the door.
It’s a straightforward investment with a direct impact. The West Clinic alone sees more than 6,600 patient visits a year. Having the right equipment matters – for staff and for patients.
The Foundation is also working toward bringing DEXA bone density screening to Franklin County, which would give local residents access to an important preventive service without having to travel. That screening would support women 65 and older, men 70 and older, and adults 50 and older with osteoporosis risk factors.
If you’d like to support the Foundation’s work, there are several ways to get involved. Donations can be made online, and the Foundation’s annual fundraiser – Rising Tides Lift All Boats, a cocktail and chef-curated dinner event – returns Saturday, Nov. 14, 2026, at the Apalachicola Yacht Club from 7-10:30 pm. Tickets and sponsorship information are available here.
To learn more, donate or get involved, visit weemsmemorial.com/foundation, or https://www.facebook.com/WeemsFoundation or email Colleen Zester, Foundation chair at weemsfoundation@weemsmemorial.com.