Gloria’s Retirement After Two Decades of Service
For more than four decades, Gloria Lopez has dedicated her career to caring for others. After two decades of service at Sierra View Medical Center, Gloria is retiring, marking the close of a remarkable chapter defined by compassion, leadership, and commitment to long-term care.
Originally from San Fernando, Gloria has lived in Porterville since high school and values the close-knit nature of the community. That connection carried into her work, where compassion and respect guided how she cared for residents and supported their families.
Gloria’s path into healthcare began early, as a volunteer candy striper during high school at Pacoima Memorial Lutheran Hospital. That experience was deeply meaningful. The hospital itself was built after a tragic plane crash injured students at a nearby junior high school, highlighting the need for accessible emergency care. Witnessing that impact firsthand, and encouraged by her mother, who worked at the hospital as a PBX operator managing the main telephone switchboard, Gloria knew she wanted a career helping patients and families.
Her career progressed steadily over the years. Gloria worked as a certified nursing assistant, then spent 11 years as a licensed vocational nurse, followed by 35 years as a registered nurse.
At Sierra View, Gloria served in the Distinct Part Skilled Nursing Facility (DP/SNF), where she later stepped into a leadership role in 2009. Working closely with her directors and team, she helped guide the department through the many regulatory requirements of skilled nursing care. State and federal surveys, staffing standards, and ongoing education were part of the daily work, all with the shared goal of providing consistent, high-quality care for residents.
What mattered most to Gloria were the people she worked alongside and cared for each day. She took pride in supporting staff and maintaining stability within the unit. The residents formed lasting connections with the team, with some remaining for years and others continuing to stop by just to say hello.
As Gloria enters retirement, she looks forward to gardening, traveling, sewing, and spending time with family. While she will miss her coworkers and the residents she cared for, she leaves knowing she made a meaningful difference.
We thank Gloria Lopez for her many years of service, leadership, and compassion. Her dedication has made a lasting impact on the Distinct Part Skilled Nursing Facility, Sierra View Medical Center, and everyone who had the privilege of working alongside her.
