"Mortui vivis praecipiant"
Translation: "Let the dead teach the living"
--Inscription above the doors of Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio
Olga Wirth Trivett Clarke was the oldest child of Wirth and Vera Laws Trivett. She was born in the Mercer County, West Virginia community of Crystal on May 11, 1918.
Olga was the firstborn of what was to grow into a family of 11 children--nine daughters and two sons--born to the Trivetts. The children born after Olga's birth over the next 27 years included her sisters Carrie, Zora, Evelyn, Polly, Margie, Hope, Irene, and Jonell, and her brothers Warren and Charles. The little girl with the beautiful curly hair and the gap between her front teeth would spend much of her early years traveling to various coal camps with her parents since Wirth Trivett labored in the mines.
As a young woman, Olga married a photographer, Tilden Stepp. Their marriage which produced two sons, Don and Earl.
Olga and Tilden eventually divorced and she would later marry Lemotta Clarke, known as Monty. Olga and Monty had no children together although Monty did have a daughter from a previous marriage. During their years together, the couple would travel extensively and moved a number of times between Ohio and Florida.
On December 26, 1987, Olga suffered a heart attack. She died the following day after being removed from life support. She was 69 years old. Death had come to her husband Monty nearly seven years earlier in January 1981.
It had been Olga's long-standing wish that upon her death her body be donated to Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. In accordance to her wishes, that request was honored by her family.
At the time of her death, she was survived by her two sons, Don Stepp, of California; and Earl Stepp, of Ohio; as well as a grandson, Terry Lee Stepp, of Hawaii; two granddaughters, Chrissy and Robyn, both of Ohio; two brothers, Warren and Charles; and six sisters, Irene, Jonell, Zora, Hope, Polly, and Margie.
Records at the OSU College of Medicine show that the body of Olga Clarke was received at that facility on December 30, 1987. Her remains would be studied throughout the spring of 1988.
Dr. Kenneth Jones, who currently serves as the director of the Division of Anatomy at the OSU College of Medicine, tells me, "It is in anatomy where the students' first lessons in professionalism and empathy for their patients begins."
In medical schools, donor bodies are considered to be the first patients of medical students. It is through such donations that help advance the training of student physicians and medical science.
Dr. Jones adds, "Medical students always comment that their 'first patient' was one of the best teachers they ever had. So if we take a medical class of 220 and multiply that number by the tens of thousands of patients each of those 220 physicians helped in their careers, you can see why the family can be very proud of Olga Clarke's contribution to medical education and to society."
After Olga's remains were studied, her body was cremated at a Columbus, Ohio funeral home. Her ashes were placed in an urn and the urn laid inside a casket alongside the cremated remains of 150 other donors. The casket was buried on the park-like grounds of Walnut Grove Cemetery in Sharon Township, Worthington, Ohio.
Walnut Grove Cemetery was established in 1860 and today is operated by the City of Worthington and Sharon Township Trustees. The grounds feature winding paths and its serene setting is more reminiscent of a park than a cemetery.
No monument marks the mass grave of those who have unselfishly helped further the advancement of medical research. In fact, the exact location of the gravesite is not even divulged to donor families. A cemetery spokesman says flowers and other tributes left at the graves would create a hazard for cemetery personnel and other families visiting the area.
There is, however, a plaque and tree in the OSU Medical Center green space that honors the contribution of the donors. A memorial service is held each spring to honor donors.
Translation: "Let the dead teach the living"
--Inscription above the doors of Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio
Olga Wirth Trivett Clarke was the oldest child of Wirth and Vera Laws Trivett. She was born in the Mercer County, West Virginia community of Crystal on May 11, 1918.
Olga was the firstborn of what was to grow into a family of 11 children--nine daughters and two sons--born to the Trivetts. The children born after Olga's birth over the next 27 years included her sisters Carrie, Zora, Evelyn, Polly, Margie, Hope, Irene, and Jonell, and her brothers Warren and Charles. The little girl with the beautiful curly hair and the gap between her front teeth would spend much of her early years traveling to various coal camps with her parents since Wirth Trivett labored in the mines.
As a young woman, Olga married a photographer, Tilden Stepp. Their marriage which produced two sons, Don and Earl.
Olga and Tilden eventually divorced and she would later marry Lemotta Clarke, known as Monty. Olga and Monty had no children together although Monty did have a daughter from a previous marriage. During their years together, the couple would travel extensively and moved a number of times between Ohio and Florida.
On December 26, 1987, Olga suffered a heart attack. She died the following day after being removed from life support. She was 69 years old. Death had come to her husband Monty nearly seven years earlier in January 1981.
It had been Olga's long-standing wish that upon her death her body be donated to Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. In accordance to her wishes, that request was honored by her family.
At the time of her death, she was survived by her two sons, Don Stepp, of California; and Earl Stepp, of Ohio; as well as a grandson, Terry Lee Stepp, of Hawaii; two granddaughters, Chrissy and Robyn, both of Ohio; two brothers, Warren and Charles; and six sisters, Irene, Jonell, Zora, Hope, Polly, and Margie.
Records at the OSU College of Medicine show that the body of Olga Clarke was received at that facility on December 30, 1987. Her remains would be studied throughout the spring of 1988.
Dr. Kenneth Jones, who currently serves as the director of the Division of Anatomy at the OSU College of Medicine, tells me, "It is in anatomy where the students' first lessons in professionalism and empathy for their patients begins."
In medical schools, donor bodies are considered to be the first patients of medical students. It is through such donations that help advance the training of student physicians and medical science.
Dr. Jones adds, "Medical students always comment that their 'first patient' was one of the best teachers they ever had. So if we take a medical class of 220 and multiply that number by the tens of thousands of patients each of those 220 physicians helped in their careers, you can see why the family can be very proud of Olga Clarke's contribution to medical education and to society."
After Olga's remains were studied, her body was cremated at a Columbus, Ohio funeral home. Her ashes were placed in an urn and the urn laid inside a casket alongside the cremated remains of 150 other donors. The casket was buried on the park-like grounds of Walnut Grove Cemetery in Sharon Township, Worthington, Ohio.
Walnut Grove Cemetery was established in 1860 and today is operated by the City of Worthington and Sharon Township Trustees. The grounds feature winding paths and its serene setting is more reminiscent of a park than a cemetery.
No monument marks the mass grave of those who have unselfishly helped further the advancement of medical research. In fact, the exact location of the gravesite is not even divulged to donor families. A cemetery spokesman says flowers and other tributes left at the graves would create a hazard for cemetery personnel and other families visiting the area.
There is, however, a plaque and tree in the OSU Medical Center green space that honors the contribution of the donors. A memorial service is held each spring to honor donors.
"Mortui vivis praecipiant"
Translation: "Let the dead teach the living"
--Inscription above the doors of Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio
Olga Wirth Trivett Clarke was the oldest child of Wirth and Vera Laws Trivett. She was born in the Mercer County, West Virginia community of Crystal on May 11, 1918.
Olga was the firstborn of what was to grow into a family of 11 children--nine daughters and two sons--born to the Trivetts. The children born after Olga's birth over the next 27 years included her sisters Carrie, Zora, Evelyn, Polly, Margie, Hope, Irene, and Jonell, and her brothers Warren and Charles. The little girl with the beautiful curly hair and the gap between her front teeth would spend much of her early years traveling to various coal camps with her parents since Wirth Trivett labored in the mines.
As a young woman, Olga married a photographer, Tilden Stepp. Their marriage which produced two sons, Don and Earl.
Olga and Tilden eventually divorced and she would later marry Lemotta Clarke, known as Monty. Olga and Monty had no children together although Monty did have a daughter from a previous marriage. During their years together, the couple would travel extensively and moved a number of times between Ohio and Florida.
On December 26, 1987, Olga suffered a heart attack. She died the following day after being removed from life support. She was 69 years old. Death had come to her husband Monty nearly seven years earlier in January 1981.
It had been Olga's long-standing wish that upon her death her body be donated to Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. In accordance to her wishes, that request was honored by her family.
At the time of her death, she was survived by her two sons, Don Stepp, of California; and Earl Stepp, of Ohio; as well as a grandson, Terry Lee Stepp, of Hawaii; two granddaughters, Chrissy and Robyn, both of Ohio; two brothers, Warren and Charles; and six sisters, Irene, Jonell, Zora, Hope, Polly, and Margie.
Records at the OSU College of Medicine show that the body of Olga Clarke was received at that facility on December 30, 1987. Her remains would be studied throughout the spring of 1988.
Dr. Kenneth Jones, who currently serves as the director of the Division of Anatomy at the OSU College of Medicine, tells me, "It is in anatomy where the students' first lessons in professionalism and empathy for their patients begins."
In medical schools, donor bodies are considered to be the first patients of medical students. It is through such donations that help advance the training of student physicians and medical science.
Dr. Jones adds, "Medical students always comment that their 'first patient' was one of the best teachers they ever had. So if we take a medical class of 220 and multiply that number by the tens of thousands of patients each of those 220 physicians helped in their careers, you can see why the family can be very proud of Olga Clarke's contribution to medical education and to society."
After Olga's remains were studied, her body was cremated at a Columbus, Ohio funeral home. Her ashes were placed in an urn and the urn laid inside a casket alongside the cremated remains of 150 other donors. The casket was buried on the park-like grounds of Walnut Grove Cemetery in Sharon Township, Worthington, Ohio.
Walnut Grove Cemetery was established in 1860 and today is operated by the City of Worthington and Sharon Township Trustees. The grounds feature winding paths and its serene setting is more reminiscent of a park than a cemetery.
No monument marks the mass grave of those who have unselfishly helped further the advancement of medical research. In fact, the exact location of the gravesite is not even divulged to donor families. A cemetery spokesman says flowers and other tributes left at the graves would create a hazard for cemetery personnel and other families visiting the area.
There is, however, a plaque and tree in the OSU Medical Center green space that honors the contribution of the donors. A memorial service is held each spring to honor donors.
Translation: "Let the dead teach the living"
--Inscription above the doors of Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio
Olga Wirth Trivett Clarke was the oldest child of Wirth and Vera Laws Trivett. She was born in the Mercer County, West Virginia community of Crystal on May 11, 1918.
Olga was the firstborn of what was to grow into a family of 11 children--nine daughters and two sons--born to the Trivetts. The children born after Olga's birth over the next 27 years included her sisters Carrie, Zora, Evelyn, Polly, Margie, Hope, Irene, and Jonell, and her brothers Warren and Charles. The little girl with the beautiful curly hair and the gap between her front teeth would spend much of her early years traveling to various coal camps with her parents since Wirth Trivett labored in the mines.
As a young woman, Olga married a photographer, Tilden Stepp. Their marriage which produced two sons, Don and Earl.
Olga and Tilden eventually divorced and she would later marry Lemotta Clarke, known as Monty. Olga and Monty had no children together although Monty did have a daughter from a previous marriage. During their years together, the couple would travel extensively and moved a number of times between Ohio and Florida.
On December 26, 1987, Olga suffered a heart attack. She died the following day after being removed from life support. She was 69 years old. Death had come to her husband Monty nearly seven years earlier in January 1981.
It had been Olga's long-standing wish that upon her death her body be donated to Ohio State University College of Medicine in Columbus, Ohio. In accordance to her wishes, that request was honored by her family.
At the time of her death, she was survived by her two sons, Don Stepp, of California; and Earl Stepp, of Ohio; as well as a grandson, Terry Lee Stepp, of Hawaii; two granddaughters, Chrissy and Robyn, both of Ohio; two brothers, Warren and Charles; and six sisters, Irene, Jonell, Zora, Hope, Polly, and Margie.
Records at the OSU College of Medicine show that the body of Olga Clarke was received at that facility on December 30, 1987. Her remains would be studied throughout the spring of 1988.
Dr. Kenneth Jones, who currently serves as the director of the Division of Anatomy at the OSU College of Medicine, tells me, "It is in anatomy where the students' first lessons in professionalism and empathy for their patients begins."
In medical schools, donor bodies are considered to be the first patients of medical students. It is through such donations that help advance the training of student physicians and medical science.
Dr. Jones adds, "Medical students always comment that their 'first patient' was one of the best teachers they ever had. So if we take a medical class of 220 and multiply that number by the tens of thousands of patients each of those 220 physicians helped in their careers, you can see why the family can be very proud of Olga Clarke's contribution to medical education and to society."
After Olga's remains were studied, her body was cremated at a Columbus, Ohio funeral home. Her ashes were placed in an urn and the urn laid inside a casket alongside the cremated remains of 150 other donors. The casket was buried on the park-like grounds of Walnut Grove Cemetery in Sharon Township, Worthington, Ohio.
Walnut Grove Cemetery was established in 1860 and today is operated by the City of Worthington and Sharon Township Trustees. The grounds feature winding paths and its serene setting is more reminiscent of a park than a cemetery.
No monument marks the mass grave of those who have unselfishly helped further the advancement of medical research. In fact, the exact location of the gravesite is not even divulged to donor families. A cemetery spokesman says flowers and other tributes left at the graves would create a hazard for cemetery personnel and other families visiting the area.
There is, however, a plaque and tree in the OSU Medical Center green space that honors the contribution of the donors. A memorial service is held each spring to honor donors.
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