It seems as though nursing agreed with Mom. Quite aside from the namesake association (Florence Nightingale) or her mother’s love of nursing that may have influenced her choice, informal photos taken of Mom during her nurse’s training years by and large appear to show someone who is happy with what she is doing. Today’s photo certainly fits that pattern.

Here is Mom in her student nurse’s uniform (but with a cap, so we know it was taken after probation—thanks, Dorothy!). I assume the building behind her is a dormitory building at Good Samaritan Hospital in Portland. And, at least to my eye, she looks pretty happy to be where she is.

Incidentally, I just noticed when I was checking my spelling of “Nightingale” that Florence Nightingale passed away in 1910, just two months after Mom was born. She was ninety years old, which was quite an achievement for that time.