Mary Opal Wolanin

Mary Opal Wolanin (November 1, 1910 – May 22, 1997) was an American nurse and expert in eldercare. She was one of the pioneers of gerontological nursing in the United States and conducted research on long-term care for the elderly, which “made her nationally known.” During her tenure at the University of Arizona School of Nursing, she started a graduate program in gerontological nursing, the first of its kind in the United States. She also worked for the care of Native Americans affected with tuberculosis. In 1996, she became the first Arizona nurse, who was inducted into the American Nurses Association Hall of Fame.

Biography Mary Opal Browne was born in Chrisney, Indiana, United States, on November 1, 1910, to Earl Edwin and Florence Abbott Browne. Her father's family emigrated from Germany to the U.S. in 1848. She completed her early education from grammar school at Chase Mound School in Kansas and Westphalia High School in Westphalia, Kansas. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. On October 29, 1942, she married second lieutenant H. J. Tiger Wolanin. After her marriage, she was honorably discharged from the service.

In 1972, she began to study needs of nursing homes and long-term care for the elderly in Arizona after receiving an appointment with the newly established Regional Medical Program in Arizona. Throughout her career, she also worked in improving the nursing care of people suffering from dementia. She was also associated with the establishment of the American Nurses Association's gerontological program (1966), and the National Gerontological Nursing Association (1984).

She was conferred an honorary doctorate degree (DSc) by the University of Arizona in 1986.

To recognize her contributions in the field of nursing, in 1996, she was inducted into the American Nurses Hall of Fame.

She died in San Antonio on May 22, 1997, of “respiratory failure.”