9/26/2019

I got that phone call tonight. You know, the one that you dread, telling you someone who played a significant part in your life has passed away. It hurts because it was your friend. I got that phone call tonight. VondaLee Ogg passed away on September 23, 2019. VondaLee was a dear friend and a fierce believer in Christ, His mission, and let’s get right down to it, a fierce believer in the power of a Case Manager doing good in the lives of patients.

VondaLee Ogg is the reason I joined CMSA Fort Wayne (Case Management Society of America, Fort Wayne Chapter). In 2003 I decided to do something that I NEVER thought I would do, nor wanted to do. I started my own Case Management business. I had worked cases with VondaLee, a long-time employee of Employee Plans LLC in Fort Wayne, Indiana. When I thought about embarking on a business of my own where I could provide the type of Case Management that I thought patients deserved, VondaLee Ogg was in my corner. She loved Case Managers that put the needs of the patient first. Sometimes one can get bogged down in the bureaucracy of business, but VondaLee made sure the patient was at the center of all the case management interactions. When I first interviewed with VondaLee, she asked me if I would have a problem doing work for a nurse that wasn’t an RN. She was an LPN. I didn’t even have to think about it. I never got caught up in the “who makes a better nurse, an RN or an LPN”, it was whomever had the most experience in the field and had the right priorities. She liked my answer and we became great friends and business partners. I appreciated her knowledge and experience and she appreciated my enthusiasm for Case Management.

One thing was apparent immediately. She made it clear that she expected me to become involved with CMSA Fort Wayne. I knew that I wanted to become a certified Case Manager, as my late boss, Linda Wheaton, made sure of that. But beyond being a certified Case Manager, I needed to become involved in the professional organization that supported Case Managers, certified and non-certified. VondaLee was a rock in the history of CMSA Fort Wayne. She was a founding member and had served on the board some 50+ years. OK, not really, but for as long as the organization had been around. I know she and her friend Sherrie Day, and so many others, forged the way and made the Fort Wayne Chapter what it is today. VondaLee hosted all the Board of Directors meetings each month at her office at Employee Plans, LLC, up until the time she retired. She was such a gracious host and we appreciated her and her employer for accommodating us. VondaLee is the reason I went on to be on the CMSA Fort Wayne Board of Directors, serving in various positions for about 10 years.

Thank you VondaLee, for getting me involved. For being the example of the professional I wanted to be. For always reminding me of the importance of keeping the patient at the center of the focus of Case Management. With your many tidbits of wisdom that you imparted; you have made a difference in the profession of Case Management in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You will always be fondly remembered. Thank you, my friend.

Mary Ann Schaefer RN BSN, Certified Case Manager (CCM), CMSA Member

To read Vonda's obituary please click link: https://www.yeagerfuneralhome.com/obituary/vonda-ogg