ESTABLISHED: October 19, 1996

PURPOSE: To honor the memory of Mary Jane Eckenrode, hard-working, active leader of ASCLS-PA at both State and Chapter levels and a dedicated clinical laboratory professional.

GUIDELINES:
1. This annual memorial lecture shall occur during the ASCLS-PA Annual Spring Meeting.  The lecture shall be either the keynote address or a presentation of a prominent speaker in the field of Chemistry.
 
2. This lecture shall be effective beginning with the 1997 ASCLS-PA Annual Spring Meeting.

3. The attached memorial message describing Mary Jane’s contributions shall be read during the introduction of this lecture.

4. Program announcements shall include a brief description of the purpose of this memorial lecture.

5. The Annual Spring Meeting Committee will determine the topic and speaker for this lecture within these guidelines.

6. This memorial lecture shall continue for twenty (20) years at which time the ASCLS-PA Board of Directors will determine its continuance.

7. This memorial lecture shall be funded as follows:

For the first five years (1997 - 2001), the Lehigh Valley Chapter of ASCLS-PA will contribute up to $500.00 per year toward the cost of the lecture.  Within a month after the meeting an itemized bill shall be submitted by ASCLS-PA to the LVC for reimbursement.  After five years, the LVC and ASCLS-PA shall jointly review the funding for this lecture.

 MARY JANE ECKENRODE (KEYNOTE) MEMORIAL LECTURE

This keynote memorial lecture is presented to honor the memory of Mary Jane Eckenrode MT(ASCP), CLS(NCA), a beloved and respected leader of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of ASCLS-PA and the Pennsylvania Society for Clinical Laboratory Science.

Mary Jane was active in our professional organization since the 1980’s, being Chapter President twice, holding many offices on the Chapter level and being fully involved in many other ways.  She was on the ASCLS-PA Board of Directors and P.A.C.E. Coordinator since 1991.  She was recognized with many awards on the local, state and national levels.

She was employed as chemistry technical supervisor at Sacred Heart Hospital in Allentown.  The same dedication Mary Jane showed toward her profession and professional organization she demonstrated with her church, her faith and her family.

On June 5, 1996, Mary Jane lost her battle with cancer.  To the end her wit and calm kept us, her friends and professional associates, together.

Funding for this presentation is provided in loving memory by the Lehigh Valley Chapter and ASCLS-PA.