Fannin Regional Hospital Billing Specialist Mary Gage is retiring after 43 years of service to the hospital.
“Mary started working at Fannin Regional Hospital in 1976, before it ever opened,” director of Marketing/Professional Outreach Susan Denton said. “She started with the expansion program to add additional operating rooms and other needs of the hospital. She performed administrative duties such as accounts payable. The hospital opened in June of 1977.”
A reception was held in her honor Friday, November 1. During the reception, she and her co-workers shared food, memories and lots of hugs.
“I understand that Mary’s been here since before there was a hospital, which is pretty impressive,” CFO Geoff Blomeley said. “It’s just an incredible accomplishment and I don’t think that I can express how much we’ve all appreciated Mary over the years because I’m guessing she’s helped every one of us with something, more than once, in most cases.”
Denton said, “Mary is an exceptional employee who is very detailed, dedicated and loyal. She truly is an expert in her field with 43 years of experience. Mary was honored as Employee of the Year and Employee of the Quarter on two occasions.”
Gage is looking forward to her retirement, but said she’ll pop back in from time to time. During the reception, she explained that she was going to finish her last work day strong at 5 p.m.
“I’m going to work until the very last minute,” she said.
Denton said Gage is the last employee at the hospital who has been there since the beginning of Fannin Regional. She said, “Ms. Gage is an end of an era.”