CLEVELAND (WJW) — A hundred years for the Cleveland Clinic, and a lifetime for Peggy and Bill Schneck. Two employees with a love story that began at age 17 at a hospital even before it became part of the clinic’s network. 

“We met in 1975, I was working at Brentwood Hospital which is now Southpoint Hospital in the linen room,” recalled Bill.

Peggy was a service aid. “I had to go in the linen room to get the linen from him and that’s how we met.”

After six months as lunch buddies, they started dating. The relationship continued to grow through computer school for him and nursing school for her.

While Bill went on to work in IT.

Eventually back at Brentwood, Peggy found what would be her calling for the next 30 years. 

“One day they floated me to the emergency department, and we had an exciting case and I became hooked on the ED.”

In 1979, they tied the knot. “It was a Christmas proposal, so, wrapped up like a Christmas gift,” said Peggy.

As their daughter and four sons grew up, Bill moved to the Clinic’s Main Campus and Brentwood would eventually become part of the Clinic in the 90s. “And we have eight grandchildren, five boys, three girls,” said Bill.

Peggy did change course in 2008, combining nursing with her love for computers through nursing informatics, which she now teaches. “So basically, I develop the education for the nurses on technology and the electronic record.”

Like their careers, the Clinic has evolved; and they still marvel at what it’s become. “It was so different. It was smaller, there were no regional hospitals, no offices or anything so everything was just right there,” said Bill. “It’s blossomed,” Peggy finished.

Each of them is proud of their contributions in making the Clinic what it is today. “I don’t see patients, but I feel as if I do have a part in the overall organization, so you’re helping build that and that’s really neat,” said Bill.

“Those patients are much sicker and we can do so much more for them now than we used to be able to do. Through innovation,” said Peggy.