She answered our questions about her interests and experiences:

Q: What initially brought you to the University? What role did you start in? What other roles have you held?

I had heard that the esteemed University of Chicago was hiring secretaries and that I might secure a job. I applied and was hired in August 1968, on a part-time basis, as a secretary in the Department of Mental Health which at that time was located on the top floor in a building on the corner of 63rd Street and S. Drexel Avenue. After becoming a permanent employee on Jan. 1, 1969, I worked there for one year. I learned shortly thereafter that the mental health office would be moving further east closer to Stony Island, so I applied for a position as a secretary to a physician in the Department of Endocrinology at the University Billings Hospital. In February 1970, I was hired to be the secretary to a new physician who had joined the University in April 1969 by the name of Dr. Samuel Refetoff. I have held this position ever since! Also, I must add that 1970 was a good year for me as I married my husband in August 1970! 

Q: How has your role changed/grown over the past 55 years?
My duties have changed considerably since 1970. When I started, Dr. Refetoff created and headed the Thyroid Function Laboratory, where during its early days, I would process blood samples, log them into the laboratory notebooks daily, and type up on cards the patient’s name, date and test results. Every time the patient had thyroid tests done, the results would be entered on their card. If they were a new patient, a new card was created. These cards were invaluable as the doctors could come to the lab and look up and even get a copy longitudinally of all the patient’s results. The doctors would call the lab and get the results over the phone from the patients’ cards.  Today, some thyroid tests are done in our Endocrinology Lab and the results are entered into EPIC software.  

I was also responsible for submitting daily charge slips for each patient listing the test codes and the cost. These slips had to be delivered daily to the billing department to ensure timely billing to the insurance companies to receive payment. Now, this is done automatically through the computer in the billing department. I was and still am a travel agent for Dr. Refetoff. Although I used to make travel arrangements for the fellows in our section, now the fellows make their own travel arrangements and give me the receipts to reimburse them. I was and still am responsible for keeping account of all research funds and gift accounts, which back in the day, was done by handwriting which took a week of each month. Now, with computers, all accounting can be done in a day. I was responsible for getting the important documents for foreign fellows to the Office of International Affairs to secure the correct visas for their entry into the United States. Also, I worked with Dr. Refetoff—who was also the director of the Endocrinology Training Program—with setting up interviews and initiating travel arrangements for applicants. Before Epic, all medical records were kept in charts located in the Medical Records Department in Billings Hospital. On Dr. Refetoff’s clinic days (then twice a week), I had to pick up the charts the day before his clinic so he could take them to the clinic with him when he saw the patient and return the charts back to Medical Records the next day.  I was also responsible for putting through purchase orders. Back then, you had to type them up and take them to the department’s purchasing agent who would place the order. Modern technology has eliminated so much walking and quick accomplishment of all those tasks.

In the early days, I had to travel to O’Hare Airport to pick up international specimen shipments and clear them through Customs. Later, we secured a brokerage company at O’Hare who secured the packages through Customs and delivered them to us. Now, I thank FedEx who does this for us!

Most notable is the elimination of the typewriter, white out and carbon paper. In the past, everything was typed on the typewriter and to make a copy of what you typed, you used carbon paper. It was truly a headache if you made an error and had to retype it or write it out. You tried to do it so it didn’t look too messy. I used to maintain a typed reference card file of papers that were quoted by Dr. Refetoff when he wrote manuscripts about his research findings. This file was constantly being updated. I used to pull the quoted card, line them up according to the number given to them in the manuscript, tape them together and copy for inclusion with the typed manuscript making it look as if they were just typed. Now, you can go to PubMed, copy the published paper information and paste it into the manuscript. You can revise the manuscript as many times as you want on the computer. This also applies to documents and Power Point presentations. 

Q: Where are you originally from?
I was born and raised in East Chicago, Indiana., the oldest of eight siblings.

Q: What is it that you enjoy most about your role?
This job is not routine. Some days you are typing clinic notes, ordering supplies, renewing licenses or meeting a protocol deadline. Other days, you are doing accounting, typing patient letters or manuscript reviews. Other days you are making travel arrangements, doing chemical inventories, etc. I also love the people we have in our section. We now have people from Bulgaria, Brazil, China, Romania and Spain. Each day is pleasant with no anxiety or stress. Never a dull moment!  

Q: What is it that you enjoy about UChicago? What’s kept you here all these years?
I truly enjoy learning something new about endocrinology. I enjoy working with the people in my section and I love the people here at UChicago. As I have been here for 55 years, I have many acquaintances—I enjoy seeing them every day. I enjoy the atmosphere here at UChicago which is friendly and concerned about its patients, employees and their students. I enjoy working with Dr. Refetoff and his fellows. We have been together for the last 54.5 years. This is not a boring nor routine job as each day requires something new. I have peace of mind on the job. I get a little anxious when we have deadlines for protocols and when progress reports need to be submitted for research funds. I can say that the relationship I have with Dr. Refetoff is not like your typical boss and employee, but as friends, and I treasure that.

Q: Do you have any favorite UChicago-related memories from over the years that you can share with us?
I have worked with 71 post-docs from around the world who came to work with Dr. Refetoff for their endocrine training. Not only were there fellows from within the United States, but there were fellows from Belgium, Brazil, China, Ecuador, England, Germany, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Poland, Romania, Spain, Tanzania and Thailand. I enjoyed working with them all and it makes me feel proud when I hear that many have become professors and chairmen of their departments. I especially enjoy our international Christmas parties with each fellow contributing one or more of their native dishes. Also, I enjoyed our farewell luncheons of the foreign fellows who were returning to their native countries. The person leaving is always given the opportunity to choose the main course which made these luncheons surprising and delicious. Also, I have worked with and attended with Dr. Refetoff, who hosted, three International Workshops on Resistance to Thyroid Hormone which were held in Aspen, Colo. (1997), Quebec, Canada (2012) and Monterey, Calif (2023). These workshops were like a family reunion to me as most of our former fellows attended. 

Q: What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I enjoy creating and sewing new outfits, shopping, reading romance, military, and mystery books, watching westerns on TV, working crossword puzzles, attending church services at my church and traveling with my husband, family and friends.