10/09/2026
Yesterday, we celebrated the next chapter in compassionate care for the St. Louis region as we broke ground on Evelyn’s House at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the first dedicated hospice house in the City of St. Louis.
For nearly a decade, the original Evelyn's House in Creve Coeur has helped patients and families make the most of their time together with comfort, dignity, and expert support. Developed through a partnership among BJC HealthCare, Barnes-Jewish Hospital, WashU Medicine, and The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, the hospice house has given patients and families a place to focus on one another when time together matters most. Now, that model is coming to the heart of St. Louis.
“We’re pleased this successful hospice care model is growing to embrace even more families in the community, offering comfort and celebrating life,” said Andy Newman, who with his wife, Peggy, gave the naming gift in honor of his mother, Evelyn Newman, the St. Louis community leader whose warmth and hospitality inspired the hospice house's name.
“The need for hospice care in our region has grown significantly, and Evelyn’s House at Barnes-Jewish Hospital will help meet that need by providing a peaceful environment designed specifically for end-of-life care,” said Nick Barto, president and CEO of BJC Health. “It will give patients a dedicated hospice environment closer to where they live, allowing more families to remain close to one another at a time when every moment matters.”
The project is made possible by community donors through The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital, including leading gifts from Peggy and Andy Newman, Aja and Pat Stokes, Barbara and Andy Taylor, Jim Hunter, and Pam and Ron Rubin. Evelyn’s House at Barnes-Jewish Hospital is expected to open in 2028.
As Barto said, “Evelyn’s House changed what hospice care could look like in our community. This next chapter brings that same compassionate model to the heart of St. Louis.”
At the groundbreaking, Jason Purnell, whose grandmother, aunt, and mother all received care at Evelyn’s House, shared what the expansion means for the community:
“What my family experienced as a gift becomes something a community can count on. A good and dignified death, close to home.”
Read more about the people, partnerships, and vision behind Evelyn’s House at Barnes-Jewish Hospital: https://heyor.ca/swI0pG