Left: Art and Millie Gabriel; Right: Millie Gabriel
A $150,000 gift to support the Obstetrical Unit at WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital will benefit Fayette County children and families in honor of Millie and Arthur Gabriel Sr.
WVU Medicine is investing in facility upgrades, equipment, and more to reopen the Obstetrical Unit – which closed before Uniontown Hospital joined the WVU Health System – with private support. The facility is now slated to reopen in January 2025, making it the only labor and delivery facility in Fayette County.
Millie’s sons, Ronald Gabriel and Arthur Gabriel Jr., saw the reopening as an opportunity to honor their late mother and garnered support from their father. Their gift goes toward the nursery, which will be known as the Millicent and Arthur Gabriel Nursery in recognition of the family’s generosity.
“WVU Medicine Uniontown Hospital is incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Arthur Gabriel family over the years, and we are honored that Ron and Art have now chosen to name the newborn nursery after their mother, Millie,” Carrie Willetts, president and CEO of Uniontown Hospital and executive vice president of health system integration and business development for the WVU Health System, said. “This is such a suitable tribute to her as a mother, a nurse, and a hospital volunteer. With this gift, we believe her legacy will continue to touch many generations to come.”
Millie Gabriel was a Uniontown native who met Art, her husband of 55 years, at Uniontown High School. She graduated from the Uniontown Hospital School of Nursing and worked as a registered nurse in the emergency department before starting her family, eventually delivering three of her four children at Uniontown Hospital.
Ron Gabriel said his mom believed in the power of education and encouraged her children to excel as she simultaneously supported her husband’s business endeavors.
“She loved kids,” Ron said. “She loved being a mom. There were so many aspects to that. Her family came first, and I know that’s kind of a cliché thing to say, but it was true.”
Millie Gabriel was also dedicated to her community. She was heavily involved at St. George Maronite Catholic Church and later volunteered her time at Uniontown Hospital, receiving awards for her many hours of service.
Ron and Art Jr. agree that she would be delighted to play a role in bringing labor and delivery services back to Uniontown area residents.
“We want to bring some things back home, and I think WVU Medicine offering to reopen this Obstetrical Unit was what this community needed,” Ron said. “This gift is an opportunity to honor our mother, but it’s also an opportunity to kick-start this campaign for what they’re hoping to raise in total for the hospital and bring some services to Fayette County.”
Ron Gabriel said the family’s gift builds upon the philanthropic tradition his father started decades ago as one of the founders of the Gabriel Brothers chain of discount stores. He hopes their contribution encourages other community members to support the private fundraising effort to aid the Obstetrical Unit, which aims to raise $5 million in total.
Ron, of Uniontown, is an entrepreneur who works with educational programs at the WVU John Chambers College of Business and Economics and Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business. He also handles sales and business development for Shelfmark, a Pittsburgh-based start-up company focused on computer vision and artificial intelligence.
Art Jr., of Washington, Pennsylvania, runs the family’s real estate business operations. He also serves on the boards for UPMC Washington and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Millie’s family also includes two daughters, Tamara Latshaw of Sewickley, Pennsylvania, and Beth Hoffman, of California, Pennsylvania.
To make a gift to support the Uniontown Hospital Obstetrical Unit, visit give.wvu.edu/uniontownhospital or contact Ben Becze, senior director of development, at bbecze@wvuf.org or 304-413-6276.
The Gabriel family’s gift was made through the WVU Foundation, the nonprofit organization that receives and administers private donations on behalf of the University and its affiliated entities.