Members of the Southern Arizona Nurse Honor Guard gathered in full white uniform at Gateway Park on the morning of Nov. 7 to honor nurses who have died, unveiling a bench and plaque dedicated to their service. The event followed a Nightingale tribute format and incorporated symbolic elements intended to recognize sacrifice and offer solace to the community.

After the bench and plaque were revealed, the ceremony proceeded with a white rose placed in tribute, a bell rung three times, candles lit and then extinguished, and a final statement releasing the fallen from their nursing duties. These ritual gestures, steeped in nursing tradition, provided a structured moment of remembrance for colleagues, family members and visitors who attended the public observance.

The bench and plaque now stand within Gateway Park as a tangible, accessible marker of appreciation for nursing professionals who have served Yuma County and the surrounding region. For local residents, the memorial offers a place to reflect on the role nurses play in hospitals, clinics, long-term care facilities and public health programs across the county. In a community where access to dependable health care is a recurring concern, visible recognition of caregivers reinforces public awareness of the human workforce behind daily medical services.

The Southern Arizona Nurse Honor Guard, by staging the Nightingale tribute in a public park, connected professional remembrance to the broader civic landscape. Public memorials can help normalize communal grieving, especially after periods of heightened stress on health systems. For families who have lost loved ones in nursing professions, the bench provides a regular site to commemorate anniversaries and milestones; for fellow nurses, it is a professional moment to acknowledge colleagues’ contributions.

Beyond the immediate symbolic value, the ceremony underscores ongoing conversations about supporting health care workers. Memorials such as this can prompt community leaders and health providers to consider policies that protect nurse well‑being, including workplace safety, staffing levels and mental health resources. While the tribute celebrated past service, it also served as a quiet call to sustain those who continue to care for Yuma County residents.

Gateway Park’s Nightingale memorial will remain available for public visitation. As the community moves forward, the dedicated bench offers a small but permanent reminder of the sacrifices and steady presence of nurses in Yuma County life.