Steven Ginos, MD, one of Blessing Physician Services’ first employed providers, retires May 13 after 16 years with Blessing Health System and 36 years as a family medicine physician.

“I had the opportunity to meet an incredible number of really good people,” he said. “Most of the time taking care of them when they were healthy. But sometimes taking care of them when they were not, and being part of both times in their lives.”

Dr. Ginos was born and raised in Hillsboro, IL, a town of 62-hundred people 153 miles southeast of Quincy. As a boy wanted to be either a scientist, a West Point Military Academy graduate, or a doctor.

“One of the things I definitely wanted to do was be in the Peace Corps,” he said. “I served in the Philippines and lived with a physician and his wife, who was a nurse.  They ran the local health clinic. I chose medicine based on that experience.”

Like his mentor in the Philippines, Dr. Ginos chose family medicine.

“I enjoy every aspect of medicine,” he said. “It’s been exactly what I wanted to do - caring for all, from kids to old people.”

In 1986, he graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine and signed a contract with Dr. David Lockhart to join his practice, Family Medicine Associates in Quincy. Dr. Ginos was a partner in the practice for 19 years, working also with Drs. Crystal Perry and Tim Beth over the years.  In 2005, the doctors sold the practice to Blessing.

“Blessing has been an outstanding employer,” Dr. Ginos said. “Really good people to work for.”

Again, like his mentor from his Peace Corps’ days, Dr. Ginos worked side-by-side with his wife – Elizabeth, MSN, RN – seeing patients with him every day for more than 30 years.

“She retired last year and has made fun of me for the past year for having to get up and go to work,” he said. “People say, ‘I could never work with my spouse!’ I don’t know any other way to do it. I always have and it’s been wonderful.”

The Ginos’s have also shared their time and talent on medical mission trips over their 43 years together. They have been to Haiti five times and twice to Ecuador.

With three children and 13 grandchildren, and a plan to continue working with Blessing in the areas of utilization review and provider credentialing, Dr. Ginos will remain active but be able to slow down a bit.

“I am looking forward to six Saturdays and a Sunday every week. We’ll see what that’s like,” he said.