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Sept. 24, 2024

Media contacts: Amber Shoebridge, 503-931-9586

amber.shoebridge@oha.oregon.gov

Oregon State Hospital observes 10^th anniversary of memorial for historical cremains

SALEM, Ore. – World War I veterans, a mother of five, a singer and a seamstress – each is among the 92 people whose cremated remains were claimed and returned to their families this year.

Their lives were remembered Tuesday during Oregon State Hospital’s annual ceremony that celebrates the reunification of families. The event also marked the 10^th anniversary of the dedication of a memorial to honor the nearly 3,500 people who lived and died at OSH and other state institutions between 1914 and 1973 whose cremated remains were never claimed.

“One of the most important parts of today and this ceremony is to remember behind every date and name plate is a person – someone who deserves to be remembered and acknowledged,” said Dr. Sara Walker, OSH interim superintendent and chief medical officer, to a crowd that included about 30 family members from across Oregon and one family from Nebraska who attended the event.

“It was important for us to be here because he deserves a decent burial with his family,” said Brian Els, who traveled from Benkelman, Neb., with his wife Marjory to attend the ceremony and claim the remains of his family member, Robert Godfrey.

Dr. Sara Walker, OSH chief medical officer and interim superintendent, welcomes guests to the hospital’s annual cremains memorial ceremony.

Els learned more about his family’s connection to Godfrey through research an OSH volunteer posted on findagrave.com. Godfrey was born in Iowa and eventually moved to Oregon where he was a laborer and eventually carpenter. He was a patient for nearly five years before he died in 1941.  

“We will take him back to Iowa to be with family,” Els said.  

OSH operated a crematorium until 1973 and became the custodian of the unclaimed cremains of nearly 3,500 people who died while living or working at OSH, Oregon State Tuberculosis Hospital, Mid-Columbia Hospital, Dammasch State Hospital, Deaconess Hospital, Oregon State Penitentiary and Fairview Training Center.

Through his advocacy, the late state Sen. Peter Courtney raised awareness about the unclaimed cremains and significant infrastructure needs at OSH. His support led to the creation of the cremains memorial and new and refurbished OSH-Salem facilities. The Salem site was recently renamed the Peter Courtney Salem Campus of the Oregon State Hospital to honor his legacy.

“At the opening, Senator Courtney described this plaza as ‘a place to replace the darkness and despair.... The hard lessons of the past have provided a brighter future for those still suffering in Oregon,’” shared OHA Director Sejal Hathi, M.D., MBA, during the ceremony. “Oregon Health Authority is committed to providing that brighter future. To fostering a system that works for every child, teen, adult and family experiencing mental illness or harmful substance use and to expanding integrated, coordinated and culturally responsive behavioral health services across our state.”

Since 2014, the cremains of 1,220 nearly 3,500 people have been identified and returned to families through the work of staff and volunteers.

This year, eight people identified as veterans will be buried at Willamette National Cemetery. Over the past 10 years, the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs (ODVA) has helped identify 27 veterans, two children of veterans and a spouse of a veteran listed on the OSH cremains directory for burial when relatives could not be found.

“While we cannot undo the past, we can help provide some form of closure with the distinction and the reverence that our veterans deserve in honor of their lives and military service,” said ODVA Director Dr. Nakeia Council Daniels during the ceremony. “Each of these eight veterans raised their right hand to serve and protect this nation against all enemies foreign and domestic and my heart is full when I consider no matter their background, no matter their race, their religion, branch or conflict, they remembered their sworn oath and their commitment to this nation never wavered. And, today, we gather to show that our commitment to them and their families has and will never waver.”

Current OSH patients and music therapists also performed at the ceremony.

After the ceremony, family members in attendance claimed their relatives’ ashes, along with a rubbing of their relative’s name and the original copper canister that interred their ashes. Families identified each year have the option to receive the items by mail or pick-up at the ceremony.

More information about the cremains memorial and directory are online.

Mark Dodge was among family members who attended the ceremony and claimed the cremated remains after the event.

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