Dr. Anne Karlon Kibrick

Dr. Anne K. Kibrick, 99, passed peacefully in her home on Sunday, April 21, 2019 surrounded by her family. She lived every year she had to its fullest.

During her lifetime Dr. Anne Kibrick made significant and lasting changes to nursing and healthcare in Massachusetts, the country and abroad. She leaves behind a list of accomplishments as an educator, administrator and leader in nursing.

Anne was born in Palmer MA and grew up in Worcester MA. As a young woman she entered the nursing program at Worcester Hahnemann Hospital. At that time nurses were only prepared in hospital settings. Upon graduation she worked as a pediatric nurse at Hahnemann Hospital and then Boston Children’s Hospital. She continued her education at Boston University and obtained her B.S. degree and began teaching pediatric and infectious disease nursing. Realizing she needed more preparation she enrolled at Teachers College at Columbia University and obtained her M.A. degree. She then began teaching at Simmons College in Boston. While at Simmons she married Dr. Sidney Kibrick, an infectious disease research specialist.

Anne became increasingly active in the nursing professions' activities because she felt hospital programs for nurses were limiting. She felt colleges and universities were the appropriate place for expanding the role of nurses. She saw nurses having roles in prevention, treatment planning and healthcare policy. She viewed nursing education as a lifelong process working toward the goal of a more healthy and humane society. She enrolled in the School of Education at Harvard University and obtained her doctoral degree. She then became Director of Graduate Education and later Dean of the School of Nursing at Boston University. After twelve years at Boston University she felt the need for more time with her husband and two children so she took a position as Director of Graduate Programs at Boston College School of Nursing. This allowed her to have a schedule more compatible with the needs of her family.

When Boston City Hospital Nursing School was closing it gave Anne an opportunity to pursue her dream of implementing a state supported baccalaureate program to absorb these students. She decided to leave the security of tenure and head up a nursing program at the former Boston State College. There was very little funding and determined opposition from some nurse educators and officials at the surrounding private colleges and universities and some legislators. With the support of practicing nurses, prospective students, Boston State College administration and faculty, newspaper articles and editorials, the program was finally approved.

Eight years later Boston State College closed and the program was transferred to the University of MA/Boston. Anne met opposition there as well but continued her push to have nursing viewed as an academic discipline with important contributions to make to society. She continued her work there as Dean of the School of Nursing pushing to develop their Graduate Program in Nursing. The education of nurses was important to her and she believed this was how the profession would grow and that these nurses were from communities in Boston that could not afford private education and more importantly they would graduate and stay in the area to serve the health needs and education of our local communities.

Dr. Kibrick served on numerous committees and advisory boards locally, nationally and abroad. She served as the commissioner of the MA Association of Colleges of Nursing, and was elected to the MA Nurses Association Hall of Fame and named as a Living Legend by the MA Association of Registered Nurses. She served as a consultant to various schools of nursing as they sought to align themselves with providing baccalaureate and graduate programs. She was elected Vice President and later President of the National League of Nursing. She helped to develop standards and criteria for undergraduate and graduate studies in nursing with an emphasis always on continuing education. Anne participated in a Peace Corp training program for nurses in Kenya. She consulted to nursing programs in New South Wales, Australia, Israel, China, the former Soviet Union, Argentina, Egypt, France and Greece where she helped them develop their undergraduate and graduate programs in nursing, continuing her quest to solidify nursing as an important academic discipline. She was a founding member of the Aids International Information Foundation in Brussels and participated in Aids conferences in Cairo. Anne spoke on the ethical issues surrounding the illness. She served on the advisory council on Nursing for Hadassah, an organization dear to her. She was also elected as a town meeting member in Brookline after her retirement.

Dr. Anne Kibrick was a creative force in nursing and healthcare. She influenced nursing philosophy, many faculty and students and numerous educational institutions. As one of the first nursing leaders to be married and have children she became a role model for younger nurses. Her career spanned many changes in nursing and healthcare. Anne had a vision of what nursing could become and spent fifty years of her professional life achieving that goal.

Anne Kibrick was the greatest cheerleader, support and devoted wife, mother and grandmother that her family could have had. Beloved wife of the late Dr. Sidney Kibrick. She leaves behind her daughter Joan Kibrick and son John Kibrick of Brookline and her five grandchildren, Alex and Julia Kibrick and Rebecca, Jessie and Owen Amsler, all in MA. And her dear relatives from the Worcester area who were an important constant in her life.

Private burial at Sharon Memorial Park. The family will be receiving visitors at her late residence at Lasell Village on Friday from 4-8PM, continuing at her sons home on Clinton Rd., Brookline on Saturday from 4-8PM.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Lasell Village's Ballroom, 120 Seminary Ave., Auburndale on Sunday, May 5 at 2PM.

Contributions in her memory can be made to the Anne K. Kibrick Leadership Fund. College of Nursing, University of Massachusetts Boston, 100 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125.