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Dr. Layne Lovell Moves Back To Area To Keep Families Close
This is the fifth in a series about medical doctors who graduated from this area.
This week's article is about Layne Lovell, MD FAAFP, a 1973 graduate of La Harpe High School. His brother, LaVerne also a doctor, was featured in the March 20th Quill.
Dr. Layne Lovell
Emergency Room Staff Physician In Macomb
Dr. Layne T. Lovell was born the 12th day of November in 1955, to Ardis and Arline Lovell of La Harpe.
He is their first son to become a doctor. His older brother, Dr. LaVerne Lovell, a neuro-surgeon in Tennessee (featured in the March 20th edition) was five years older, but became a doctor five years later.
Layne attended La Harpe Elementary and La Harpe High Schools, graduating in 1973.
Layne played football during high school and was co-captain his senior year. He worked for the school district one summer with Steve Rodeffer and Kevin Stevens. He recalls making $725 that summer which he felt was a lot of money. He remembers spending $750 on his first car and motorcycle.
Layne enjoyed his involvement with the Christian Church appearing in the Easter pageant as the Apostle Peter for two years in high school.
He was involved in Band and Stage Band for four years playing the tenor saxophone.
He selected Eastern Illinois University In Charleston and graduated with a
B.S. in Zoology in 1977, and graduated from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine in 1980.
Layne completed his residency in Family Practice in Quincy in 1983. Since then, he remained Board Certified in Family Practicer.
He is working full-time in Emergency Medicine and is Certified in Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Advanced Trauma Life Support.
He was influenced in high school by his Chemistry and Biology teacher, Mr. Dennis Sievers.
"He certainly encouraged me to look at medicine as a career," Layne said, "And he also attended Eastern Illinois University which influenced my college choice as well."
Layne added, "Of course, I was influenced by the examples set by Dr. Harold Collins and Dr. B. I. Mueller. They were both excellent small town Family Physicians."
"One of my college summers was spent working in the nursing home in Carthage where I met Dr. James Coeur. He was the first doctor to talk to me about the specialty of Family Practice."
Layne continued to look at Family Practice and eventually decided to pursue it as a career. Why is he doing Emergency Medicine, you may ask.
"I spent five years in private practice in Vandalia after I finished Residency. I decided to make a career change in order to be able to have more time with my family.
"I am able to schedule my time at work and therefore I am able to be involved more in family activities. I do enjoy Emergency Medicine," Dr. Lovell said, "but I have enjoyed my time with my family even more."
Dr. Lovell is working full time as a Staff Physician in the Emergency Department at McDonough District Hospital in Macomb, almost 12 years.
He has served on several different Medical Staff committees as well as served as Chair of the Emergency Medicine Department.
He currently Chairs the Recruitment committee at MDH.
Dr. Lovell's wife is Mary. They will be celebrating their 25th anniversary on May 21st this year. Her parents are Hollis and Mary White of La Harpe.
"Mary and I decided to move back to the area 12 years ago in order to be closer to family. We felt that it was very important for our daughters to get to know their grandparents. That family connection is something you cannot replace with anything else.
"We have three daughters: Hollie is 21 and currently finishing her degree at MacMurray College in Jacksonville. She is doing her student teaching for Special Education at present.
"Jolequyn is 19 and a Freshman studying Music at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale.
"Meredyth is 17 and a Senior at Macomb High School. She is planning on attending Eastern Illinois University this fall.
Dr. Lovell said, "The small town memories generated by places like the Newsstand, Mid's Cafe, The Traveler's Inn, Tastee Freeze, and of course my Dad's barbershop can't be found anywhere else.
He can be reached at:
Layne T. Lovell, MD, FAAFP
1119 Stacy Lane
Macomb, IL 61455 or email: mllovell@Macomb.com
Dr. Layne Lovell with wife Mary and their three daughters from left back: Meredyth-17, Jolequyn-19, and Hollie-21.