O'Neill Native Awarded Dolores Batenhorst Keating Scholarship

An O'Neill native was honored as a 2016 Dolores Batenhorst Keating memorial scholarship recipient. 

Jessica Simons anticipates graduating with her Nursing Degree in 2018 from Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln and plans to move back to O’neill and work in a rural setting.

​“I am determined to become a nurse to touch lives not only as a provider of healthcare but also as a teacher,” Simons said.

West Holt Medical Services Foundation began managing a memorial fund in 2010 established in the memory of Dolores Batenhorst Keating, one of Atkinson’s most caring residents.

Dolores was born in Stuart, graduated from Stuart High School and lived her entire adult life in Atkinson. She worked for over 25 years as a Registered Nurse at West Holt Memorial Hospital. Dolores was married to John Keating for 56 years. They had eight children, Mary Rose Schaaf, Maureen Tsuchiya, Phillip Keating, Mark Keating, Patrick Keating, James Keating, Matthew Keating and Gerard Keating. Dolores Keating was a strong supporter of local, high-quality medical care, and her family is honoring her memory by providing local students, pursuing a medical degree, with a scholarship.

Each year scholarships of $1,000 each are awarded to graduates from Holt County schools who are residents in Holt County pursuing a degree in the medical field.
 
The next application deadline for the Dolores Batenhorst Keating Scholarship is December 15.