For 1,161 babies, Sue Keilman was the first person they met as they entered this world. Sue’s career has been a midwife, working in the West End since 1992. Sue retired Wednesday, Sept. 26, from the Bogachiel Clinic.

Sue attended Frontier Nursing University in Kentucky becoming a midwife in 1979. She spent some time teaching in Seattle and then she and family eventually moved to Forks in 1990 when her husbands’ job with the DNR brought them here.

Sue had taken six years off as she raised her own family and in 1992 she was hired by Dr. Dickson and Dr. Dobyns, “I really appreciated them taking me on,” Sue said.

Sue worked for a time at the Forks Women’s Clinic before finally ending her career at the Bogachiel Clinic.

“I appreciate the support of my patients and getting to experience their birthing with them, I have had the best of the best, and plan to stay in the community enjoying my hobbies, family life, and dog.”

Sue said she is really pleased with her replacement at Bogachiel, “Rachel Adair is such a lovely person, she will be a real addition to the clinic.” Sue got to spend a couple of days with the new certified Nurse Midwife that will take her place.

“It has been so meaningful to have had most of my career in this small town, babies I delivered, then I get to see them graduate, what a great thing it has been,” Sue added.

Sue said she really wanted her Hispanic patients to understand where she has gone and a Spanish version of this story will appear next week.