NMMC’s Tatum Retires after 41+ Years

Registered nurse Benita Tatum of Short Stay Surgery at Women’s Hospital has retired after more than 41 years at North Mississippi Medical Center.

A 1980 graduate of Mooreville High School, Benita joined the NMMC staff in May 1981 as a secretary in the Nursing Resource Pool. She continued working at NMMC while completing her associate degree in nursing from Itawamba Community College. Upon graduation in May 1983, she transferred to 3 South, where she worked primarily with surgery patients.

Benita moved to Women’s Hospital to work with gynecology patients when the facility opened in 1986. After 10 years, she transferred to Short Stay Surgery at Women’s Hospital, where she cared for patients before and after their surgery until retiring Nov. 11.

Benita says it’s the people she’ll miss the most– her patients and coworkers, as well as the doctors at Women’s Hospital.

She looks forward to spending time with family, which includes husband Andy, whom she married the same year she started at NMMC. Their children and grandchildren—Jon Tatum (Shana) and Hana, Trace and Oliver; Allison Moore (Al) and Madison; and daughter Carla Tatum—all live near them in Dorsey.

She attends Lakeland Baptist Church in Mantachie and enjoys gardening, hiking and traveling.