Wichita, Kansas, artist Joseph Loganbill spent a lot of time at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis when his father, Lanoy, was battling pancreatic cancer.
During one of those hospital stays, Joseph photographed a group of workmen installing a statute of Christ in the St. Francis lobby, from which he later created an oil painting. As an artist, he wrote, “I couldn’t miss all the allegory implications – the workmen representing disciplehood, this time in raising Christ rather than removing him from the cross.”
Lanoy died in 2015, eight days after the death of his wife, but the memory of the care the couple had received at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis remained for Joseph, his brother, Fred, and sister, Deborah Goering.
“From folks in dietary to the nurses and doctors, I can honestly say we never encountered a person who was impatient with our questions or who treated Dad as ‘just another number’ in their day,” Joseph wrote in an email to the Via Christi Foundation and Kevin Strecker, Chief Operating Officer and Regional Hospital President for Ascension Via Christi. “I don’t have the words to thank all the staff for the care that he and we as a family received. So I’d like to give another remembrance of Dad on behalf of the staff there.”
His gift, made prior to his recent move to Scotland, was the painting he’d been moved to create. The painting was unveiled at a special ceremony recently.
Among the attendees was Josh Morrison, who along with Jared Cowman, Jesus Silva, Jose Omar Mondragon and Bill Leritz (who died of cancer last year), is portrayed in the painting.
“We are very grateful that the work we did was able to provide comfort to Joseph at a time when he needed it,” Mike Wagner, Project Manager at Eby Construction, who was at the unveiling with his team and other company leaders. “It is very satisfying to know that we were a part of this and hope that it continues to provide comfort for others.”
David Alexander, Via Christi Foundation President, said the painting is a beautiful reflection of those who serve at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis and elsewhere within Ascension.
“Four years later and the memory lives on of the compassionate, loving care that the family received,” he said. “So does the legacy of our founders, which serves as the foundation of all that we do.”
