Bassett Hospital Remembers Bruce Wilhelm by Naming New Sidney Clinic in his Honor!

The Tri-Town Regional Hospital in Sidney, and their parent organization Bassett Hospital, honored longtime employee Bruce Wilhelm with the naming of the new Specialty Services Clinic in his memory.

Wilhelm, who died in 20012, was a thirty year administrator at Bassett and was appointed the first CEO of the Sidney Hospital when it was reopened.  On February 5, 2008 Bruce Wilhelm cut the ribbon to open the Sidney Hospital after it had been shuttered for more than four years.   It was the first time in nearly fifty years that a closed hospital had been reopened in New York State.

For this, Bruce, a graduate of Sidney High School, will always have the gratitude of a grateful community for giving them back their hospital. A fundraising campaign which took place in the year since Bruce's death, netted more than $150,000 for the new Specialty Services Clinic.  More than $11,000 of that was raised by Bruce's Sidney High School Class of 1977 classmates.

On Friday April 26, more than 100 friends, classmates, family and Bassett employees gathered for a joyous celebration of Bruce's life and the formal dedication of the naming of this specialty wing in Bruce's honor.

Lorna Wilhelm, Bruce's wife, and his children were in attendance.  Lorna said of the day, "How special this is.  Not just for Bassett Hospital but for Sidney and for Bruce's whole family.  I know Bruce is smiling down on us all on this wonderful day."

The crowd in the new wing of the Sidney Hospital (Tri-Town Regional Hospital) was overflowing.

More than 100 gathered to hear stories and words of praise for a guy whom everyone agreed "was loved by all."

Dr. William Streck, CEO and president of Bassett Healthcare network, spoke passionately about Bruce Wilhelm's "love of family, Bassett and Sidney."

It was a great day for a great guy, Bruce Wilhelm.