Gretchen was a devoted medical laboratory professional. She moved to Idaho from Montana many moons ago, following into the healthcare field after her father who was a doctor. She reminisces about visiting him in the clinic and came to fall in love with the laboratory. She went to school at College of Idaho in Nampa and later worked at Baylor Health in Emmett for many years. She recalls when it was called Walter Knox Memorial Hospital. Despite most of her family becoming nurses, Gretchen carved her own path as an MLS and later having a granddaughter who followed in her footsteps, currently working in laboratory management in McCall, Idaho.
Gretchen has 10 wonderful grandchildren. Her words of wisdom as to why she continued her membership with ASCLS over the many years is that we have to support each other and band together. “If we don’t, then who will?” She believes in licensure and the advocacy of laboratory professionals through providing excellent patient care. She reminds me of the days of doing manual counts in hematology, preparing from a glass and glass pipetting with lips. Then laughing …smiling from ear to ear.
By, Nickola Chin, CMLS
