Lay Retirement Reception

Diane Lay will be retiring from the Lewis County Health Department after 40 years of dedicated service on June 11th, 2024.

Diane started her employment with the Health Department on June 11, 1984 as a full-time nurse working with public health patients. Diane then became the nursing supervisor around 1988, where she would oversee the Public and Home Health programs. She held that position until she became the Administrator in 1996. Diane has overseen many programs and sat in on many meetings working alongside other agency Administrators, to help keep public health and home health in Northeast Missouri thriving. She loves the people in Lewis County and will always advocate for them and their care.

After serving 20 years as the Administrator in 2016, Diane would step down and return to her nursing roots and settle back into Public Health. Diane has enjoyed seeing the generations of families come through the agency. She really enjoys her routine public health clients who will have a joke or a kind word to say. Diane found the COVID-19 pandemic to be her most challenging time, in her 40 years of service. However, her biggest satisfaction, was knowing that she was able to help someone in their care or in time of need.

Diane enjoys teaching the next generation the importance and maintaining the public health needs of the community. She has been a wealth of knowledge, for her co-workers, along with her peers and other community partners. She is the go to person for those difficult lab draws, along with her knowledge of public health and communicable disease. The community trusts Diane’s knowledge and guidance in regards to wellness concerns.

Her vast knowledge will be greatly missed by those who worked the closest with her.

Lewis Co. Health Department will be hosting an open house on June 11, 2024 from 3pm to 5pm with at the Park United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall in Lewistown. Please come and join us in our celebration of Diane’s retirement.