First baby born at Baptist celebrates 100th birthday | People

JACKSON, MS - The first baby born at Baptist Health Systems in Jackson is celebrating her 100th birthday Thursday, and the hospital is asking the public to help wish her a happy birthday.

Mary Ormand Heald Sterrett of Lexington, Va., was born at Baptist hospital Aug. 11, 1911. Baptist is also celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

According to a news release from Baptist, Sterrett's son, Dr. Reid Sterrett, contacted the hospital earlier this month about his mother's birthday.

According to the hospital, Sterrett’s birth is documented in A Tradition of Caring, a history of Baptist published in 1991:

“…Mrs. Robert R. Sterrett (born Mary Ormand Heald), was born in the Hospital on August 11, 1911, reportedly the first baby to be born in the little facility… At the time, the Hospital was so new that they had not acquired necessary equipment and did not have a bed for the first baby….the doctor who I am sure was Dr. Shands, as he was always the Healds’ family doctor, borrowed the laundry basket to use as a bed…Mrs. Sterrett later wrote the Hospital that the legend surrounding her birth was substantiated in 1932. The fact of her birth was included in documents found in the cornerstone of one of the Hospital’s early buildings. The document showed that she was given a five-dollar gold piece to celebrate the occasion.”

You can read the full story about Sterrett's birth and life on Baptist Health System's website.

The hospital is asking the public to send birthday greetings to Sterrett via Baptist’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/baptistmednews.

“We’d love to have at least 100 comments to share with her on her birthday," said Barbie Sullivan, MD, Executive Medical Director of women services at Baptist.

Do you know someone who has a notable birthday (90+) or wedding anniversary coming up? Send a picture and information to community@wlbt.com.