Menu Search COVID-19 Resources: Keeping you safe | Vaccine Information | Visitor Policy and Hours Home > Born at LMH - Mary Tye Published on September 21, 2021 Born at LMH - Mary Tye In December 1955, Mary Tye was born at Lawrence Memorial Hospital. She was born septic but at the time, LMH did not have an isolation unit to separate babies from each other. To keep Tye away from other newborns, the team cleared out a broom closet and put her bassinet in the room to give her the isolated space she needed. “Not only was I born at LMH, but my father was also born here,” Tye said. “To go even a step further, three of my kids were born at LMH as well! We have three generations in our family of those who were born at LMH and we are grateful and loyal to our LMH family.” Tye's Candy Striper Cap Tye’s history with LMH goes far beyond just her birth. In 1969 at age 14, she began candy striping, better known now as the junior volunteers. The brand new wing had opened at LMH that same year and she got to volunteer on it. “It was beyond exciting to get to work on the new wing,” she said. “I did this for a couple of years and in the summer of 1979 when I was 23, I officially started working at LMH.” At the time, Tye was a medical records clerk and over the next two years transitioned to a coder position. This year marks her 42nd year with LMH as an employee, having worked in medical records the entire time. “Back when my children were born, we used to type the birth certificates by hand on a typewriter in medical records,” Tye said. “There was no sonogram then that could tell me if my children were boys or girls, so each time I went to the hospital I would bring two birth certificates with me. I had typed them up to reflect the name I wanted for a boy and for a girl. When they were born and the doctor told me their gender, I kept the one for the baby we had and tore the other up.” The key chain Tye saved from the LMH 75th anniversary celebration As a child, her family members were patients of H.P. “Penny” Jones. She remembers being in his office while her parents and grandparents went to him for their medical care. In fact, Tye’s father was delivered by Dr. Jones. Over the years, Tye said she has seen it all, had some crazy experiences and continues to serve the Lawrence community and hospital in 2021. Her involvement past medical records has also included being an EMT first responder in a rural area of the county. “I have seen LMH be there for our community in challenging times, and I know if I have a health emergency, they will be there for me too.” Story by Jessica Thomas Jessica is the Social Media & Digital Communications Specialist at LMH Health. Media Inquiries For media inquiries related to LMH Health contact: Amy Northrop Director of Communication Phone: 785-505-2931 Email: Amy.Northrop@lmh.org Login Physicians Employees Associates Board Vendors 325 Maine Street, Lawrence, Kansas 66044 (785) 505-5000 © Copyright 2021. All rights reserved. The Lawrence Memorial Hospital dba LMH Health.