Susan and Phil von Hemert: Providing for WDH’s Enduring Future

Phil and Susan von Hemert

Susan and Phil von Hemert both had critical, life-threatening events, and their recovery is a tribute to the outstanding care they received from Wentworth-Douglass Hospital. Both are fully recovered and have been leading healthy and active lives for many years.

Susan is working at Wentworth Douglass as a diabetes nurse educator for inpatients. Previously, she worked as an Intensive Care nurse and held a corporate role as Director of Global Training.

Phil’s career was primarily in the construction and mining equipment industry where he was involved in distribution, both domestic and international. He is now the Board Chair of Sail Portsmouth, a local nonprofit.

Susan and Phil feel incredibly fortunate financially, having managed to avoid many of the hardships faced by so many families in our community. Their philanthropic commitments have been guided by their own life experiences. As a result, the causes are personal and quite meaningful.

They cherish time spent with their blended family of four daughters, eight grandchildren, and four grand-dogs and enjoy travelling together—especially internationally, learning about other cultures and how we have much in common.

They are giving an unrestricted gift to WDH with the confidence that it will be spent in an efficient and meaningful way. They also hope that their modest gift motivates other like-minded individuals to consider making a legacy gift to the Foundation.

“Our gift is, in one sense, a way of saying thank you. In another sense, it is a gift to an organization that we consider to be, in a way, part of our extended family. We want to do our bit to nourish that family today and to provide for its enduring future.”