The Heart of Regina Health Center: donor spotlight focuses on former employee leaving nearly $1 million estate gift

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Tags: Regina Health Center , health care

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The new issue of The Heart of Regina Health Center newsletter highlights how former assistant administrator, the late Jean Metzger, included a gift of more than $925,000 to Regina Health Center in her will. The newsletter also includes a letter from Executive Director Mark Yantek that addresses the support needed to help cover the gap in Medicaid reimbursement, plus recognizes the vowed Religious and clergy residents celebrating their jubilee years, an overview of resident councils, news updates and more.

Read the full newsletter here.

Blessing the Community She Served

Former Employee Jean Metzger Leaves Regina Health Center $925,000 Estate Gift

Conscientious. Kindhearted. Hardworking. Organized. Knowledgeable. Attentive. Caring.

Employees who have half of these characteristics are considered exemplary. Former Regina Health Center (RHC) assistant administrator, the late Jean Metzger, embodied all of them.

Jean, who worked at RHC from 2002 until her retirement in 2014, is described by those who knew her as a doer and decider. She passed away at age 76 in July 2023.

In 2024, RHC learned Jean had made a decision that further solidified her strong legacy: she included a gift to RHC in her will. The amount was more than $925,000.

A Home Away from Home
Jean’s decision to support RHC’s mission of providing holistic, compassionate health care to residents upon her passing was not surprising to those who worked closely with her.

“As a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator (LNHA), Jean could have easily found a position as a lead administrator or executive director at another place. But she was very much at home at Regina Health Center,” said Brian Flannery, RHC’s administrator/executive director from 1995 to 2013. Brian continued, “She appreciated that she worked for a ministry that valued her and her talents. I depended heavily on her, and the residents knew they had a friend in Jean. But she knew she had support behind her, especially from the CSAs [Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine].”

During her tenure at RHC, Jean’s responsibilities included overseeing human resources, especially recruitment, retention and workplace safety. Pastoral care, activities, admissions and marketing, programs and transportation, social services, housekeeping and laundry, and dietary services all also reported to her.

Her coordination on projects was second to none. “If you asked a question, she would retrieve it quickly; she always plowed ahead,” said Brian. She often stayed late and came in on weekends to solve needs that would arise.

“Sometimes, a nursing home’s needs do not fall into a certain category. Jean was business-like and took a firm approach to solving problems. But she always had a soft side when working with residents, said Brian.

Understanding – and Sharing – the Mission
Jean understood that high-quality patient care was paramount. Assisted living was particularly close to her heart. Because of her expertise in that area, Jean served as the interim executive director at fellow Sisters of Charity Health System ministry Light of Hearts Villa from September 2012 to January 2013.

Betty Hickle became Light of Hearts Villa’s executive director after Jean. In her, Betty found not only a mentor, but a wonderful friend.

“For nearly three months, Jean trained me and guided me as I learned the job. She was a fount of knowledge. I will always be grateful for the way she treated me with respect, dignity and patience,” said Betty. “She gave me the skills to be successful right off the bat.”

Along with bringing Betty up-to-speed on Medicaid requirements and other assisted living rules and regulations, Jean taught her about the mission of the Sisters of Charity Health System. “She believed in what the Sisters were trying to accomplish. She cared deeply about the health system,” said Betty.

After retiring from RHC, Jean joined the Light of Hearts Villa Board of Directors for two years. Betty and Jean’s friendship continued, with the two women visiting each other frequently and often writing notes to each other.

“Jean was highly creative. She enjoyed flipping homes and doing the work herself, especially the painting. Each house was more beautiful than the other thanks to her,” said Betty. “I think of Jean often and miss our conversations together; she was a dear friend.”

Jean Metzger never lost sight that Regina Health Center (RHC) exists to serve others, especially Religious sisters and clergy. Her estate gift continues her legacy of being an empathetic leader who worked diligently to make RHC an inviting home for all.

Immediate Impact and Enduring Legacy
Jean’s generous estate gift will touch the lives of many RHC residents and their loved ones. A portion of the funds will be designated for the Plaza Beautification Project (please see page 13 for more details).

The remaining proceeds will be designated for capital improvements and to boost RHC’s endowment. Philanthropic investment in the endowment ensures the sustainability of this important ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System by generating unrestricted income, helping to cover the gap between the actual cost of care and Medicaid reimbursements.

“The cost of care has been outpacing government reimbursements for a long time. That gap is only widening, and we do not expect a change in the trends anytime soon,” said Executive Director Deacon Mark Yantek, LNHA. “With that reality, a significant endowment is essential to the future of Regina Health Center, which exists to ensure that aging clergy and vowed Religious have access to five-star care.”

For her remarkable generosity, Jean will be listed in perpetuity as a member of the Regina Society, the giving society that honors all RHC legacy donors. In 2026, all living and deceased members of the Regina Society will be inducted as founding members of the St. Augustine Legacy Society of the Sisters of Charity Health System.

Regina Health Center is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System.