Three Generations of Nurses Keep a California Hospital in the Family

When Patricia Pendleton walked into Antelope Valley Medical Center as a fresh‑face nurse over two decades ago, she probably never imagined that her grandchildren would be pulling the same night‑shift uniforms decades later.

For 25 years she tended to patients in the bustling halls of the Lancaster‑based hospital, eventually hanging up her badge and retiring with a sense of pride that her daughter, Terryl Call, had watched her in action. “We were basically raised in the hospital for two years,” Terryl recalls, remembering how their family gathered around the bedside of their father as he battled cancer. The care she saw, the compassion she felt, nudged her toward nursing as a natural next step.

Terryl didn’t just become a nurse; she climbed the ranks to become a house supervisor, helping to keep the unit running smoothly. “It honestly makes me very emotional, but I am honored and privileged to see the hard work they put in,” she says, eyes softening as she thinks of the generations before her.

Her two daughters, Amanda Starler and Tayler Rodriguez, grew up on stories of their mother and grandmother’s bedside heroics. “My mom was the coolest person ever and my grandma was the coolest person ever,” Amanda laughs, recalling childhood evenings spent listening to late‑night shift anecdotes. The sisters chose to walk the same path, enrolling in nursing school together and eventually landing jobs side‑by‑side in the emergency department of the same level II trauma center.

“We work nights so we get to see Mom for an hour. She always comes down and says ‘hi,’ and it’s the best thing,” Tayler shares, smiling at the routine that now feels like a family tradition rather than a career move.

Four generations of dedication, a single hospital, and a shared belief that saving lives is a community responsibility. The Pendleton‑Call‑Starler family’s story reminds us that sometimes the most profound impact comes from the people you see every day, wearing scrubs and carrying a family legacy.