History

Ernie Deines Trego Hospital Endowment Foundation founder

Ernest J. Deines
June 1915 – January 1988

  • Founding Father of the Trego Hospital Endowment Foundation, Inc. Ernie Deines was an Attorney in WaKeeney. He was a member of WaKeeney Presbyterian Church and the Kansas Bar Association. Previously, he served as the WaKeeney City Attorney, President of the WaKeeney Chamber of Commerce, and President of Big Creek Recreation, Inc. He was also a member of the WaKeeney School Board, the Fort Hays State University Alumni Association, the FHSU Endowment Association, the Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital board, and The Trego Hospital Endowment Foundation board.

On January 27, 1987, the State of Kansas accepted the Articles of Incorporation of Trego Hospital Endowment Foundation, Inc. The foundation is a non-profit organization, organized exclusively for charitable, educational, and scientific purposes including, but not limited to the sponsorship of specific projects and programs to improve medical services to the patients in the area served by the Trego County Lemke Memorial Hospital. The source of funds will be primarily gifts and bequests from the persons and organizations. None of the funds will be used for operating costs of the hospital. It is hoped that future Memorials, Gifts, and Bequests will be made directly to the Foundation rather than to the hospital itself.