VA honors employee for 50 years of service

For five decades, Jeanetta Robinson showed her dedication to area veterans through the meals she prepared for patients at John J. Pershing VA Medical Center.

Robinson started in the early 1970s with food prep. By the time she retired in February, she was charged with helping ensure quality standards were met and dietary restrictions were followed for those the VA serves.

She was honored during her last week by co-workers and VA administration, as well as representatives of Sen. Josh Hawley and U.S. Rep. Jason Smith.

“I just enjoyed it,” said Robinson. “The people in kitchen have been just like family. I really loved my job.”

Co-workers described Robinson as hard working, with a can-do attitude, and someone who looked after her staff.

“I had a job that I was responsible for,” Robinson said. “I enjoyed it very much. I feel like I really did my job, serving the veterans.”

There are a lot of outstanding and dedicated employees who serve veterans, said Matt Bain, district director for Hawley.

Bain thanked Robinson for her service, as did Mike Schoelhamer, constituent specialist for Smith.

“The level of dedication and care shown for over five decades of (working with) Missouri heroes deserves to be recognized and honored,” Schoelhamer said.

Robinson started at the VA when she was a young mother, looking for a good job to support herself and her two sons.

Both were young babies at the time, Robinson said.

One son has gone on to work at the VA as well, Jeff Gipson, who started as a driver about a year ago. He is a veteran, who served in Desert Storm.

Her other son, Scott Gipson, works as a district manager over seven grocery stores in Kansas.

Robinson looks forward to traveling during her retirement and spending more time with grandchildren and great-grandchildren.