"I remember when I had my children in the old hospital ... you sort of knew everybody and everybody knew you. You had a special certain assistance and hospitality that's strange now," said Olson.
Retired Kingsburg teacher Patricia Cortez says most of her students were born at Kingsburg hospital. Her mother in law worked there as a nurse. She says everyone in the community was connected to the hospital in some way.
Cortez said, "Yes, it is sad ... cuz our community ... it's a great community ... and they need a hospital ... it's sad."
Kingsburg District Hospital opened in 1961, but as bigger hospitals popped up in bigger cities ... some local doctors and their patients moved on. Kingsburg's Mayor, Bruce Blayney says although the town is thriving ... the closure of the hospital creates an image problem.
"When you see any institution that's been around as long as Kingsburg's hospital's been around ... it winds up becoming a sign that the community is struggling," said Blayney.
Two years ago ... the hospital's emergency room closed. A year ago all surgeries came to a halt leaving only skilled nursing patients.
The CEO of the Hospital Board, Bob Kelley, said "The board made the decision at the beginning of March to close the skilled nursing facility which is the only area of the hospital that had patients."
With no more patients ... 50 employees have received pink slips. The last few patients left the hospital on Monday. The remaining eight employees will be out when the hospital officially locks its door May 15th.
