Orlando Health recognizes nonagenarian, Betty Anne Staton, as the oldest living “baby” born at Orange General Hospital
Orlando, FL (November 5, 2018) – Ninety-two year old Betty Anne Staton has been selected by Orlando Health as the oldest living Central Florida resident to be born at Orange General Hospital. Mrs. Staton was one of 68 seniors whose name was submitted to the hospital, which conducted a search August 1 – October 15, 2018. The birth years of the participants spanned seven decades. Three, including Mrs. Staton were born in the 1920s, 13 in the 1930s, 25 in the 1940s, 10 in the 1950s, 10 in the 1960s, 5 in the 1970s and 2 in the 1980s.
“The search we conducted was part of our centennial celebration, which officially launches November 5; the day the original hospital was founded in 1918,” said Karen Jensen, vice president of the Orlando Health Foundation and chairman of the Orlando Health centennial committee. “We sincerely appreciate Mrs. Staton sharing her and her family’s life with us during this very special time in our history. She truly is a daughter of Orlando.”
Born November 8, 1925, Mrs. Staton is a life-long Orlando resident who grew up in Orlando’s Park Lake/Highland neighborhood where she attended Marks Street Elementary School, Memorial Junior High School and Orlando High School before heading off to college in Tallahassee at what was then Florida State College for Women. In August of 1946, she married her high school sweetheart, (Ulysses) Grant Staton who served as a pilot in the US Air Force. Their wedding took place at Park Lake Presbyterian Church, where she remains a lifetime member. The couple was married for more than 60 years before his passing in 2008.
Together, they had three children; Suzanne Staton Bigalke, Sally Staton Kennedy and Sam Staton, all of whom were born at Orange Memorial Hospital. The name, Orange General Hospital, was changed to Orange Memorial Hospital in 1946 in honor of the men and women who served in World War II. It was changed to Orlando Regional Medical Center in 1977.
Mrs. Staton has been actively involved in a number of organizations in her 90-plus years including the Junior League, The Rosalind Club, Country Club of Orlando and the League of Women Voters, where she served as the state-wide president. In the early 1970’s, she became one of the first women to serve on the Florida Board of Regents when she was appointed by Governor Rubin Askew. She served in that capacity for nine years. A heartwarming video that tells the story of Mrs. Staton’s life will be posted to Orlando Health’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/orlandohealth on Monday, November 5.
About Orlando Health
Orlando Health is a $3.4 billion not-for-profit healthcare organization and a community-based network of hospitals, physician practices and outpatient care centers across Central Florida. The organization is home to the area’s only Level One Trauma Centers for adults and pediatrics, and is a statutory teaching hospital system that offers both specialty and community hospitals. More than 2,900 physicians have privileges across the system, which is also one of the area’s largest employers with more than 20,000 employees who serve more than 112,000 inpatients, more than 2.4 million outpatients, and more than 10,000 international patients each year. Additionally, Orlando Health provides more than $450 million in total value to the community in the form of charity care, community benefit programs and services, community building activities and more. Additional information can be found at www.orlandohealth.com.
