In 1963, Shirley Spory began a 43-year career at Walter Reed. She began in medical records and eventually moved to the psychiatric unit, where she assisted with the automating of the records system. She made lifelong friendships and became friends with the residents, students, and patients. “I just came in and did whatever challenging thing there was for that day. And I loved it.” She was at her desk when the news of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination arrived, as she was on 9/11. “My daughter called me up and she wanted me to go home. I said, ‘I can’t go home. I’m working at the hospital.’
History Project, Susan McNeill: Full-Length Interview