Articles 
Gee Mathen
It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my friend and colleague, Gee Mathen. Many of you have crossed paths with Gee—and surely remember his unmistakable, boisterous laugh—at conferences across the country.
Gee served as the Director of Pharmacy Inventory at Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH). He began his career at TCH in 1991 as a pharmacy technician in the Emergency Center while attending the University of Houston. During those early years, he faced significant hardship, even living out of his car while he worked to make ends meet. From those humble beginnings, Gee grew into one of the great champions of pharmacy technology. Under his leadership, the TCH Willow Team helped drive innovation in medication-use processes, technology, and data dashboards. Gee took immense pride in hosting site visits, showcasing his team’s accomplishments, and inspiring industry-wide progress in quality and patient safety.
My first interaction with Gee was at the Institute for Safe Medication Practices’ Medication Safety Summit in 2021. The meeting was virtual, and I’ll admit my initial reaction was irritation—who was this guy? Where did he work that allowed for all the capabilities he described? Surely, we weren’t working in the same place.
As fate would have it, not long after that meeting, Gee and I were paired together to strengthen the relationship between pharmacy and anesthesia—a task that I know makes a few of you smile knowingly. I quickly set aside my assumptions. Gee became my ally, then my friend, and eventually one of my closest collaborators. Together we forged a powerful partnership grounded in our shared commitment to advancing safer medication practices in the perioperative setting.
In September 2024, we had the privilege of presenting our work at the APSF Stoelting Conference in Boston. Gee was immensely proud, energized, and eager to continue building. This past spring, we co-hosted our Anesthesia Thinktank in Houston, welcoming many of you to what Gee gleefully themed the “Wild West.” He bought cowboy boots for the occasion and embraced the role wholeheartedly. Through spirited debates, persistent effort, and deep respect for one another’s expertise, we created something meaningful—a thriving, collaborative relationship between pharmacy and anesthesia. Yes, we still argued, but we were always united in purpose.
Lauren Lobaugh, MD, MAS, FAAP, CPPS and Gee Mathen
On November 26, 2025, we lost Gee. A bright star has gone out, and I, like many of you, feel that loss profoundly. Yet Gee’s memory will live on through our teams, our shared dedication to medication safety, and the countless people he inspired. He leaves behind his loving wife and children, who were the center of his world. Gee was generous, kind, and unwavering in his support of others.
At his wake, a friend shared the idea that we each die twice: once with our earthly passing, and again the last time someone speaks our name. I believe Gee’s second passing is far, far in the future. His influence—and his spirit—will continue to shape our work for years to come. He now joins the greats who have gone before him, including another dear friend and mentor of mine, Ron Litman. I think of Ron and Gee often, and I find comfort in knowing their legacies continue to guide us through our work at APSF and beyond.
Lauren Lobaugh, MD, MAS, FAAP, CPPS is Director of Patient Safety for Anesthesia Services and Associate Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine for Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital
Lauren is an an educational consultant for Omnicell.
