Mary and Gary Smidderks’ enduring connection to Providence Holy Cross

For more than five decades, Mary and Gary Smidderks have called Providence Holy Cross their hospital.

Gary first walked through the doors in the 1970s as principal at Los Angeles Baptist Junior/Senior High School, bringing injured football players to receive care. Even then, it was the trusted place families turned to in moments that mattered.

Years later, Mary deepened that connection in her own quiet, extraordinary way. For more than two decades, she volunteered in the oncology unit, offering something both simple and profound: presence. What began as the idea of serving tea to patients receiving treatment became a beloved ritual — one that brought warmth and a sense of normalcy to patients navigating some of life’s hardest days. Fresh flowers, a warm cup and a kind word. Mary believed deeply that beauty helps us heal.

Then, in a turn that reflects the full circle of care, Mary became a patient herself. The caregivers and volunteers she once stood beside became her source of comfort and strength. The unit she had served with such devotion became the place that surrounded her with compassion and expertise. Her journey made clear what she has always known: healing is not only clinical. It is deeply personal.

At the 2025 Donor Appreciation Brunch, Mary shared her story — reminding all of us that this hospital is more than a place of care. It is a community woven together by service and generosity.

As longtime annual supporters, Mary and Gary continue to invest in the place that has meant so much to their family and to so many others in the community. Their philanthropy reflects the same spirit that defined Mary’s volunteer work, rooted in a desire to ease the way for others.

For the Smidderks, Providence Holy Cross is not simply where care is delivered. It is home. And through their enduring support, they are helping ensure that future patients — neighbors, students, families — will experience the same compassion that has defined their lifelong connection.