The first West Virginia nurse has died from COVID-19

MORGANTOWN, W.Va (WDTV) - The West Virginia Nurses Association announced that Jeannette Williams-Parker is the first West Virginia nurse to die from COVID-19.

WVNA released the following statement, “We know that hearing about the death of a fellow nursing colleague can be truly inconceivable, especially during a world-wide pandemic and we at WVNA join you in mourning the loss of Jeannette Williams-Parker.”

Jeannette was just 48 years old. She was a long-time WVU Medicine employee in Morgantown. She recently tested positive for COVID-19 and had since passed due to complications from the disease.

WVU Health System and WVU Medicine President and CEO Albert Wright says the following about Jeannette, “By all accounts, Jeannette Williams-Parker – “Nettie” to her many friends and co-workers, who she described affectionately as her “work family” – lived a life filled with love, peace, and many, many adoring friends, family members, and co-workers. She was engaged to Bryan Inghram, also an employee at Ruby (in dietary), and her 18-year old daughter, Haley, is experiencing her first semester at WVU as a nursing student.”

Jeannette was a clinical nurse preceptor and nurse supervisor of MRI. She joined the MRI team at Ruby in March of 1997 and was the first nurse to work in that program. At the time of her death, she was the nursing leader for all pediatric anesthesia coordination and our focused ultrasound MRI program.

“I’m told that Jeannette lived on the sunny side of life, and that her energy, enthusiasm, and positive attitude were all highly infectious and helped sustain the MRI team. The patients for whom she cared likewise adored her. And while I never had the opportunity to meet Jeannette, honoring and remembering her is important, as is celebrating her life and recognizing her many contributions to WVU Medicine,” says Wright.

Wright also says that Jeannette’s passing is also an unwelcome reminder that COVID-19 remains with us.

Jeannette’s daughter has created a Go Fund Me page in honor of her.

WVNA says that they plan to recognize Jeannette at their nursing policy summit on March 25, 2021 as well as at their nursing conference in October of 2021. WVNA will also be holding an Open Forum call tonight at 7 pm and they welcome you to join the zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 896 3685 4715, Passcode: 2020.