With warmth, skill, kindness and compassion, Laura “Chris” Nevares, RN, brought comfort, confidence and joy to countless mothers and babies throughout her nursing career.

In recognition of her extraordinary legacy, the Nevares family recently made a gift to the Skagit Regional Health (SRH) Foundation, naming a maternity suite in the Family Birth Center in her honor.

A 1946 graduate of Everett Junior College and Nursing School, Laura began her nursing career at Mount Vernon’s Rowley Hospital, located at the corner of 11th and Division Streets. She served there for 10 years before joining the staff of the newly opened Skagit Valley Hospital.

Laura devoted 28 years to caring for families in the Family Birth Center, where her gentle nature, clinical skills and dedication touched the lives of generations of patients.

Her son, Bill Nevares, shared with SRH Foundation staff that after reading a HealthQuest magazine article about the Family Birth Center renovations and the opportunity to name rooms, he and his family immediately recognized it as a meaningful way to honor their mother's lifelong commitment to caring for others.

After meeting with Linda Frizzell, SRH Foundation Executive Director, Bill expressed his appreciation, saying, “Thank you for taking the time to give us a tour of the Family Birth Center. It is very impressive. Mom would be proud of all the advancements in care now available to new mothers.”

For the SRH Foundation, stories like this are a reminder that philanthropy is often deeply personal. Through Bill and his wife Linda's generosity, the named maternity suite stands as a lasting tribute to their mother – a remarkable nurse whose compassion and service helped welcome thousands of new lives into the world.

Time and again, our community shows an extraordinary commitment to supporting local healthcare, making the work of the SRH Foundation so meaningful.