Molly PavlovichWhen Mary Holman began working at Messiah Lifeways at Messiah Village in 1979 as a charge nurse—just one year after the Messiah Village campus opened in Mechanicsburg, she remembers coming into work and seeing a shell of what this community has become.
When she celebrated 20 years, Mary received a Messiah Village necklace, which today reminds her of how she grew alongside the organization.
Across campus, cottages rose, apartment buildings took shape, and spaces for recreation and leisure slowly transformed open land into a lived-in community. Hallways filled, neighborhoods grew, and new faces became familiar over time. Along the way, Mary experienced moments of joy and friendship, as well as seasons of challenge—notably the COVID-19 pandemic—and through it all, she persisted with grace and heart.
“This place has become home to me,” said Mary.
Mary’s lifelong relationship with Messiah Village extends far beyond her own experience. Her daughters worked in Dining and Rehab, her twin sister served more than three decades as a nurse, and her parents called the campus home for many years until they passed away. For Mary, family and community are intertwined here in ways that run deep.
She first tried to retire in 2010 but wasn’t ready to leave, returning to work occasional nights when she could. Now in her 80s, she’s ready to retire for good.
“But I’d like to come back and volunteer,” Mary said.
Through the growth, changes, challenges, and celebrations that have marked her 46 years at Messiah Lifeways—a significant portion of the organization’s 130-year history—Mary believes the heart of this place has remained constant.
“This is a special place,” she said. “Everything has always been about the residents, and care has always been at the forefront of who we are and what we do. I don’t see that changing anytime soon.”
