Willie Weinstein: An Enduring Smile

Icons. Legends. Celebrities. Even hospitals have them.

At Confluence Health Hospital Central Campus, Wilmajean Weinstein—known affectionately as Willie—was more than just the oldest volunteer greeter; she was truly the spirit of the lobby for the 17 years that she served. A cherished member of the volunteer services team and Confluence Health family, her warmth and kindness touched all who passed through the hospital doors. Willie embodied her favorite saying, “It’s always easier to smile than frown,” and with every shift, her sunny disposition brightened the days of patients, visitors, and staff alike.

But Willie’s story began long before her time at the hospital. She grew up in Wenatchee, a petite and vivacious young woman who dreamed of helping others. After earning her RN at Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, she set out for California to begin her nursing career. Fate intervened when she returned to Wenatchee to teach and work at Deaconess Hospital. Willie met Royal Weinstein at a wedding—their connection was immediate, and by 1947, Royal and Willie were married, beginning a partnership marked by devotion and adventure.

Willie chose to step away from nursing when she became a mother to three boys: Ed, John, and Dick. Raising her sons was her greatest joy, but she also poured her energy into the family’s downtown business, The Fashion Shop, alongside her mother-in-law, Ida. Summers found the family at their cabin on Lake Chelan, boating and waterskiing, and weekends were spent hosting gatherings with other Wenatchee apparel business owners, building friendships and memories that would last a lifetime.

As the years passed, Willie and Royal traveled the world together—twice around, in fact—yet it was in her own community that Willie made the most lasting impact. With her sons grown, she returned to service, this time as a volunteer greeter at Confluence Health Hospital Central Campus. Her smile was legendary; her compassion, unwavering. For countless visitors, she was the first face they saw—a gentle, reassuring presence in times of uncertainty.

Willie became a fixture, a part of the very fabric of the hospital. Staff and visitors alike knew her by name and by reputation. She listened, comforted, and encouraged everyone she met, living proof that kindness is timeless and that simple gestures can change lives.

Through decades of dedication, Willie proved that even in retirement, one can be a local icon, shaping the spirit of a community not with fame, but with heart. Hers is a legacy woven from smiles, compassion, and the steady belief that it is always easier—and better—to smile than to frown.

Willie passed away in February of 2024 at the remarkable age of 101 and her family wanted to ensure she would always have a place in Central’s lobby. Together, family and friends made contributions so that Willie would be added to the Foundation’s donor wall. Through that recognition and the many lives she touched, her legacy lives on.