Coleman had a small hospital built soon after 1900, but there was a need for much improvement as the times changed. The Overall Memorial Hospital was built in 1923 with funds donated by Mrs. M. Tye Overall, the wealthy widow of R. H. Overall, who were early settlers of the county. In 1935, a second building, identical in size with the first structure was added, using a gift of $30,000 given by J. P. Morris and a grant of $45,000 from the Works Projects Administration.

Martha Tye Overall

Richard H. Overall

J. P. Morris

A north wing was added in 1967, giving the hospital a total of 62 beds. A modern kitchen and cafeteria was added in 1970. The enclosure of the first floor of the north wing in 1977 gave an additional 24 beds. In 1983 there was a resident staff of 5 physicians and surgeons as compared to ten general practitioners in 1960.

In December 1947 Miss Evelyn Shipman, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. C. Worrels, became the bride of Wayne B. Webb, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Webb. Rev. Alex Mooty performed the single ring ceremony at the bedside of the bridegroom, who underwent an emergency appendectomy at the Overall Memorial Hospital. The wedding date had been set for Friday and the couple decided to go ahead with their plans, despite the groom’s illness, with the change in place.

Evelyn and Wayne Webb, 1947

Bricking Connecting Passage between the two buildings,1958

A two-story connecting passage between the two hospitals was added before 1948, and an emergency entrance was located on the west side. In 1958, the top floor of the west side was bricked in, creating additional space.

In late 1948, improvements were made in the reception area and halls of the two wings of the Overall Memorial Hospital. Major improvements were made in the maternity division, operating room, medication room, emergency room, x-ray department, kitchen and dining room. In the maternity division was the delivery room and labor room. The rooms were joined by sliding doors, with the new resuscitator at left. The nursery was located at the other side of the labor room. Six individual maternity rooms were remodeled and refinished on the second floor of the south wing. Two of the rooms had private baths. An isolation ward for contagious diseases was set up in the southwest corner of the old wing, equipped with two iron lungs, one a portable type, and a polio pack machine. There was also a colored ward on the lower floor of the south wing.

Reception, 1948

Beautiful Halls, 1948

Maternity Ward, 1948

Operating Room, 1948

Until February 1949, Dr. F. M. Burke had a contract with the Overall Memorial Hospital, which gave him exclusive operating rights. Also, several doctors occupied offices in the hospital which they were asked to vacate. Thus, the hospital would have an open staff and there would be no doctors with offices in the hospital buildings. These actions were prompted by a report from Mr. Phillip R. Overton, general attorney for the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Hospital Association, who revealed that under the system then in effect, the hospital would be liable for federal income tax, excise tax, state, county, city and school district taxes. Recent cases similar to Coleman had been tried by the Supreme Court of Texas, finding hospitals liable for taxes who had given a physician an exclusive contract or any special privilege, such as office space, regardless of the original intent to operate as a charity or benevolent institution. Six Coleman doctors responded to this notice by filing a petition naming the trustees of the Overall Memorial Hospital and the hospital as defendants. A five year contract for the exclusive operating right in the hospital had been given to Dr. F. M. Burke only a year earlier. Dr. R. H. Cochran, Dr. S. N. Aston, Dr. J. M. Nichols, Dr. J. C. Young and Dr. J. R. Gaines had rental contracts for office spaces made the previous year. Defendants cited were C. R. Jeanes, Mrs. Gerald Swann, R. F. Price, Mrs. Earle Smith, Macon W. Freeman, Charles R. Wilson, Marlin Thompson, Leman Brown and R. E. Murphey, as trustees of the hospital and the Overall Memorial Hospital. The petition stated that the hospital was created as a Christian and charitable trust by Mrs. Martha Tyler Overall in 1923, and that Dr. Burke was employed as surgeon in charge of the hospital during her lifetime, and that he had remained as surgeon ever since. It was stated further that the late J. P. Morris contributed $30,000 to aid in construction of the second unit and that it was the understanding and agreement that the doctors and dentists use the lower floor for office space, free of rent. A cross action was filed by the defendants in the hospital lawsuit, alleging that the contracts with plaintiffs were illegally entered into and requesting that Dr. F. M. Burke be asked to give a full and complete accounting of all the money that he had collected in connection with the Overall Memorial Hospital. He controlled the hospital for more than twenty years and never made an accounting. In May 1949, after 25 minutes deliberation, a jury returned verdicts favoring the six doctors involved in the Overall Memorial Hospital suit, heard in the 119th District Court, before Judge O. L. Parrish and a jury. The board of trustees of the hospital indicated they would file for a judgment in their favor.

At the time of the suit, the board passed resolutions providing for the creation of a surgical staff, and gave permission to the medical staff to perform minor surgery. The hospital’s first anesthetist, Mrs. Elizabeth Craft was hired. She was a registered nurse and a graduate of St. Joseph’s Hospital in Alton, Illinois and of Morgan School for Anesthetist of Chicago. She was qualified to use gas anesthetic. The use of chloroform on obstetrical patients was eliminated. The hospital had full anesthetic equipment prior to this time. Another feature at the hospital was the new food cart, a portable steam table of stainless steel, one-half with hot food, the other with cold food, with capacity to serve 30 people. A menu was given to patients, showing a choice of four vegetables, meats, juices, milk, coffee and tea. The cart was brought to the bedside. The laboratory was updated in 1952.

Laboratory Update, 1948

New Nursery Equipment, 1948

New nursery equipment, purchased with a Ford Foundation grant, was added to the hospital in July 1956. Inspecting the new incubator and one of seven new bassinets, were Mrs. (C. M.) Mary Huckabee, head supervisor, left, and Mrs. Page Mays, operating room and nursery supervisor, right. The new bassinets had a bath tray and two shelves to house the baby’s clothes and towels. Don Weaver, hospital administrator, reported that the three new bathrooms for the hospital, which were also being built using Ford Foundation money, were under construction at the time.

A record number of babies were at the Coleman Overall Memorial hospital in September 1960. Nine babies at the same time represented a new record of the hospital. Included in this group were one set of twins, the children of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Knoettgen of Coleman. Parents of the other babies were Mr. and Mrs. R. J. McGaughey, Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Ewing, Mr. and Mrs. Billy Merryman, Mr. and Mrs. N. L. Dillard, Mr. and Mrs. Glen McDonald, Mr. and Mrs. R. R. Hill and Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Zumwalt. The nursery nurses at that time were Mrs. Grady Miller and Mrs. Page Mays.

An organizational meeting for the Coleman Hospital Auxiliary was held in November 1961. A total of 67 women signed as charter members of the new auxiliary. Their primary goal was to make the hospital patient more comfortable. It also undertook special projects to provide needed equipment which the hospital may not be able to buy. Today, the Coleman County Medical Center Auxiliary maintains a gift shop in the hospital.

In April 1964, the auxiliary expanded their services with the addition of a new and larger coffee and gift cart, plus a coffee table. Shown with gift cart are auxiliary members Mrs. M. T. White, Mrs. Joe Stevens and Mrs. George Rhone, and Mrs. Sam Lindsey is shown with the coffee table. Proceeds from the coffee and gift cart and coffee table are used for a scholarship for a future nurse and to secure needed equipment for the hospital. Mrs. Nonnie Simpson was the auxiliary president in 1964.

Hospital Auxiliary Gift Cart, 1964

Hospital Auxiliary Coffee Cart, 1964

In June 1962, the old L. E. Collins home at 303 West College Avenue was torn down. It was located just north of the hospital in December 1943 and was purchased for $10,500 to be converted to a nurses’ home, and was later converted to storage use. The original plans were to use this area for parking, but in 1966 the hospital was expanded where the old house stood. Although it seemed to old timers as if it had been there much longer, it stood on this location for only 56 years. The soil was tested by core drilling to determine the foundations needed for a large heavy brick building.

L. E. Collins Home, about 1920

L. E. Collins Home, 1950

Core Drilling for Hospital Expansion, 1965

The name of the Coleman hospital was changed in February 1962 to Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital, in memory of the late Martha Tyler Overall and husband, R. H. Overall, and J. P. Morris, prominent county pioneers who funded the building of the hospital. In more recent years, the name was changed to Coleman County Medical Center. At that time a column, “Hospital News” of both the Coleman and Santa Anna hospitals, were published in the newspaper, so you would know who was sick and go visit them or send them a “Get Well” card. It was not unusual to see the announcement of several new babies listed.

Laboratory personnel at the Overall Memorial Hospital in 1961 were William H. Tucker, Jr., in the foreground, head of the laboratory and x-ray department, inspecting a microscope, and looking on, left is Mrs. Betty Smith and at right is Mrs. Lora Rutledge, Tucker’s assistants. During the improvement program, the lab was moved into the north wing, modernized with new equipment being added.

In April 1964, Mrs. Blye Green, Director of Training of State Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners at Austin gave approval for an Accredited School of Vocational Nurses for Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital, to begin June 1, 1964. An accredited school covered a twelve month training period, at the end of which students are eligible for State Board examination. After passing the state exam, they become Licensed Vocational Nurses. The first school was for members of the staff only, and then the second school will be open to the general public.

No rooms were available at the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital in May 1964, when two patients were placed in the hall of the south wing. Head nurse, Mrs. Emmett Mills, left, and nurse supervisor Mrs. L. B. Wells, right, were shown with the patients. There were 41 patients in the hospital a week earlier and the hospital was only rated for 33 beds. The need for more rooms pointed to the importance of the building program, which would double the hospital bed capacity.

The Board of Vocational Nurse Examiners granted the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital School of Vocational Nursing its certificate of full accreditation following compliance with the one year of provisional accreditation period in May 1965. The vocational nursing program was a 12 month course, planned to raise standards of vocational nurse training and to help meet the need for additional nurses in Texas. After satisfactorily completing the prescribed course and graduating from an approved school of vocational nursing, the student was eligible to make application and take the State Board Examination of Vocational Nurse Examiners. Upon passing the examination the student became a Licensed Vocational Nurse and may use the initials LVN. This second class of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital School of Nursing students began in the recently renovated classroom in the hospital basement. This added classroom provided a nursing laboratory for practice procedures, as well as being equipped with film projector. This room was also used for hospital board meetings. The former classroom was restored to a room for two patients.

The graduation exercises for the first class in the Licensed Vocational Nurses’ Training School of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital were held on May 29, 1965. The ceremony represents a year of difficult study, in addition to the regular nursing duties, by a group of women dedicated to service in their community. This class was made up of, from left, front, Mrs. Mary Joyce Mayes, R.N., instructor; Mrs. Fay Bird, Mrs. Bertha Clements, Mrs. Gladys Guthrie and Mrs. Louise Monroe. Rear: Mrs. Agatha Cash, Mrs. Eleanor Stinson, Mrs. Clem Wilkinson, Mrs. Allie Mae Tate, Mrs. Willie Mae Bennie, Mrs. Hattie Lou Guthrie and Mrs. Velmon Dee Watkins.

First LVN Graduating Class, 1965

Second LVN Graduating Class, 1966

The second class of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital School of Vocational Nursing graduated in 1966. Left to right, front: Mrs. Essie Armstrong, Mrs. Doris Matthews, Mrs. Marie Brown, Mrs. Helen Gilliam; second row: Mrs. Jo DuBois, Mrs. Lois Hill, Mrs. Alice Row, Mrs. Lula Tucker; Back row: Mrs. Emma Webb, Miss Mary Dell Anderson, Mrs. Lela Nettles. The instructor, Mrs. Mary Joyce Mays, R. N. is standing behind. There were many more graduating classes from the LVN and Nurses Aides schools given in Coleman during the coming years.

In 1964, Junior Auxiliary Volunteers were doing important work at the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital during the summer. With pink uniforms, they were called Pink Angels. Two members of the group, Thomasue Livingston, left, and Sally Lewis, right, were at work. Susan Andis was the chairman of the summer volunteer work. Other members who worked at the hospital were Betty Browning, Ina Jo Roberts, Ruth Ann Staggs, Nell Brown, Sandra Clark, Sandra Garner, Becky Jones, Karen Jameson, Kay Hollingsworth, Anita Raymer, Carol Wester, Anita Slack, Margaret Chapman, Kay Hudson and Lynda Hemphill.

Pink Angels, 1964

Candy Stripers, 1967

In November 1967, the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital Candy Stripers in the Junior Auxiliary of the OMMH had a Capping Ceremony. Robert Bowen served as master of ceremonies and Mrs. June Bowen, president of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, welcomed girls and guests. The girls were introduced by Mrs. Anna Wells, Auxiliary Coffee and Cart Service Chairman, and Becky Huckabee, Auxiliary Floor Service Chairman, capped them. Mrs. Cecil Andis, Junior Auxiliary Chairman explained the awards program. Mrs. Bob Turner, director of nurses at OMMH, was speaker for the occasion. She said these volunteer workers were a great help to nurses, staff and patients by performing extra services and leaving nurses free to give more time to care of patients. Each girl had to put in 25 hours service at the hospital in order to earn a cap. As more hours were served, girls were given a stripe. After 300 hours a girl was eligible for a cap, three stripes and a pin. One candy striper, Judy Stark, had served 380 hours. These first Candy Stripers were, from left, front, Debbie Johnson, Brenda Smith, Debbie Ray and Glynda Phillips; second row, Julie Sowell, Donna Clark, Effie Bell and Cynthia Mayo; back, Judy Stark, Tandy Clarke, Bonnie Cullins and Gail Smith. Members of the group but not present for the picture were Sharon Ames, Elaine Coleman, Claudette Grider, Terri Sluder, Ellen Wheat and Fredda White.

Architectural Drawing, 1964

North Wing under Construction, 1965

Completed North Wing, 1967

The new north wing of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital was completed and opened in November 1967, with a total cost of structure and equipment at $464,266.05. Plans were for additional $45,000 expenditure to move and remodel the kitchen and install a sprinkling system in the two older wings. It was stressed that additional gifts were needed in the building fund. A chapel was added to the hospital at this time, which was later updated. An elevator serviced all four floor levels, including the basement, the ground floor, the second or main floor and the third floor where the air-conditioning equipment, motors and power panel were located. There were 19 patient rooms in the new wing and were the most modern in every way. The x-ray department and laboratory were housed on the ground floor. The hospital had two operating rooms, and an intensive care ward which would accommodate three patients. The nurses station was located in the center of the building.

Hospital Chapel, 1967

Remodeled Hospital Chapel, 1967

In March 1970, Robert Jameson, administrator of Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital reported that for a second time the hospital is caring for an all-time high patient load with 57 patients. In February 1973 a new mark was made with a load of 58 patients. Most of the patients at that time were hospitalized due to influenza. Every hospital bed was full.

Construction was underway on the $125,000 kitchen and dining area project at Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital in July 1970. The new facility was in the basement under the new wing, using one-half of the area and leaving the balance of the space for storage. The dining area seated 32 people at four tables. A new freight elevator was located at the southwest corner of the basement and an emergency exit-stairway was constructed at the north end of the basement.

In the fall of 1972, the Coleman schools were not the only ones having problems with old buildings. Officials of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital had been advised that the two old wings at the hospital would not meet current requirements for Medicare. The hospital had been making plans to close in the ground floor of the new wing, and contacts had been made to make application for funds. This new development from Medicare sped up the project for the hospital. With the ground floor closed in, the hospital would have 50 beds, which was about the same as the current size. The patient load was down at the time, but the patient level had been ranging from 20 to 32 patients per day.

A new x-ray machine was installed at a cost of $46,464.50 in January 1974. It was manufactured by the Picker Corporation of Cleveland, Ohio. It was the first Picker machine of this type to be installed in Texas. With the new machine, new procedures and diagnostic examinations were now available for patients. It also met the latest HEW requirements with less radiation to the patient. This unit replaced one which had been used in the hospital for the past 21 years.

New X-ray Machine, 1974

Beginning work on ground floor of North Wing, 1976

Working on ground floor of North Wing, 1976

In March 1974, the State Board of Health approved a $285,120 federal grant and a $107,905 federal loan to help pay for an expansion program of the new wing at the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital. The project included closing in the ground floor of the new hospital wing, adding patient rooms and including an elevator and air-conditioning equipment. It was estimated the total cost of the project would run $570,000. The addition was completed in October 1976, when the cornerstone was laid by members of the Coleman Masonic Lodge. Total cost of the new addition was about $685,000, with grants amounting to $335,000, leaving a local obligation of $350,000. Local pledges came to $260,000, thus another $90,000 was needed to pay for the addition. The first floor then included 18 patient rooms, with 24 beds. The entire hospital then had 46 beds. In addition to patient rooms, on the first floor there was a pharmacy, nurse station, laboratory and x-ray department, examination room, and waiting rooms. There was also one suite, with patient room and family room adjoining, and two rooms for isolation. A second elevator was added, as well as an emergency generator. An open house was held in May 1977. The open house did not include the second floor, due to the heavy patient load at the time. Robert Jameson, hospital administrator is studying an early registration ledger under the watchful portraits of R. H. and Tye Overall and J. P. Morris, above the plaque of the Morris Wing, which states, “Morris Wing – Donated to Overall Memorial Hospital – By J. P. Morris in 1937 – In Memory of Martha Pincham Morris and Bettie Robbin Morris – Dedicated to the People of Coleman County.”

Robert Jameson, Administration, 1976

Completed North Wing, 1977

New Hospital Auxiliary, 1978

With the opening of the new wing, the Hospital Auxiliary was reorganized in May 1977. The auxiliary provided volunteer help at the hospital, providing various services, including an information desk and gift shop. The Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital also sponsored gift corner #2 at Holiday Hill. Shown with some of the wares with members of the Auxiliary, from left are Melinda Nolen, Melba Stevens, Joyce Rhone, Alma Marrs, Adele Adams, Edith Tooms and Doris Allen. There was also a call for a new organization of Candy Stripers, volunteers of girls 15 to 18 years. The Auxiliary projects provided money for the benefit of the hospital and sponsored a style show and salad luncheon as one of their fund raising efforts. In later years the Auxiliary presented a home tour. In 1979, the Auxiliary, represented by Olive Flynn and Lenora Wilkerson, donated a wheelchair equipped with an intravenous stand to the Hospital Laboratory, represented by Ted Boatright.

There have been many long-time doctors and nurses are the Coleman hospital over the years, and there have also been many long time employees. No hospital could exist without the services of lab technicians, records personnel and the housekeeping department, to name a few. In 1961, Mrs. Jerry Reece, Mrs. Faye Key and Mrs. Louise Gillespie were employed in the business office at the Overall Memorial Hospital. Here, they are checking daily reports, which showed a steady growth in volume and patient load per day during the past few years. Some of the longest employed lab personnel were Ted Boatright and Bill Mann. In the housekeeping department was Richard L. Holloway. Holloway went to work for the hospital when in was called the Overall Hospital and there was only one wing in 1929. He was employed there for nearly 49 years until his death in 1978, being the housekeeping department supervisor for many years. He was recognized in 1978 at the Coleman Chamber of Commerce banquet for his service to the hospital. Also very active in the community, he served on the Central Texas Opportunities Advisory Committee and Board of Directors and was a member of the Head Start Council, and a worker with the fund drive for the American Cancer Society, as well as a deacon and assistant minister at the Mt. Calvary Church of God in Christ. His son, Richard Holloway, Jr., a CHS graduate and star athlete was later principal of Coleman High School.

New Wheelchair with IV stand, 1979

Business Office Personnel, 1961

Richard Holloway, 1978

Bill Mann, 1976

Efforts to secure more medical doctors for the Coleman had encouraging news in February 1978, when Robert Jameson, administrator for Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital, reported that Dr. Carl D. Kobler was moving here from Montana to open a general practice. Jameson also explained that the late Ellen Knox established the MKB Foundation, to offer grants to medical students agreeing to practice in Coleman. One medical student was already under the program and two others were making application.

Trustees of the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital was studying possible uses of the Overall building of the hospital, since the building could no longer be used as a hospital facility, that would benefit the hospital and the community. In May 1980, a grant was approved for phase one of the development of a Senior Citizens Center in Coleman. This cleared the way to locate a senior center on the first floor of the original building at the Overall-Morris Memorial Hospital, under the supervision of the city and county. The old kitchen was restored and walls removed for a 1400 square feet dining area. Individual rooms were used for such activities as quilting, dominoes and other games, reading, Social Security representative, minor health programs issues, a country store, office and pantry. Two bath rooms were retained and doors were widened to accommodate entry by wheel chairs. Some years later, the Senior Center moved to the building where the Coleman Lumber Company had been located.



In addition to these two blocks, the CCMC hospital district also owns the southwest part of Block 6 to the northeast of Block 3, which is used as a Maintenance Shop and storage.  Addresses of dwellings previously at this location were 211 South Pecos Street and 213 South Pecos Street.  The Hospital District also owns the northwest part of Block 4 to the south of Block 3.  These addresses were 313 West Elm Street and 315 West Elm Street.  The ambulance barn and cottage are located here.