Roots of Legacy

Decades after Berea College graduates Martha Salter ’51 and Ohlen Wilson ’50 completed their time on campus, their legacy of dedicated service to others continues through their children and grandchildren—something to which their son and daughter, Sharon Dowdy and Rudy Wilson, can testify. 

Martha enrolled in the nursing program at Berea, while Ohlen enrolled in the biology (pre-med) program. 

Years before attending Berea, Ohlen’s sister had pneumonia, and died of complications from the illness. “I think he felt a little bit of responsibility toward that death, even though it wasn’t his fault. He also knew that medicine would be able to save her at that time,” Rudy said.

Berea’s nursing program, however, was different in the postwar period from the one most Bereans know today. Sharon said her mother often described how nurses had to reuse equipment after sterilizing, since most tools were not disposable. Nurses were responsible for preparing medications themselves, often mixing them from powder, unlike today when medications are typically provided ready to use by the pharmacy.

An aspect of the Berea community that always remained the same in the eyes of their parents was the famous Boone Tavern Hotel, one of the most recognizable landmarks of Berea. Boone Tavern has been both a hotel and restaurant since 1909. The hotel features signature white columns, airy verandas and 63 guestrooms with furniture crafted by Berea students. Martha used to work as a server in the tavern during her Berea years. “We would always go there for the alumni reunions. They were always glad to go back there. They said it really didn’t change because it was still good,” Sharon said. 

Spending time on campus at Sunday socials after church, Martha and Ohlen began their love story. “They met on dates at a tree in front of their dorm. They said that their first kiss was under that tree, and there is a picture taken at the same tree on an alumni visit,” Sharon explains, adding that they were married in the well-known Danforth Chapel.

From there, they began building not only a marriage but also the foundation for the generations that followed. After graduation, Martha worked as a nurse in Richmond, Virginia, while Ohlen attended medical school at Virginia Medical College. Decades later, all five of their children have earned graduate degrees, and across the family, there are 13 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Among them are five medical doctors, three Ph.D.s, nurses, a nurse practitioner, a physical therapist and a music educator. 

As Sharon reflects, much of their family’s successes trace back to Berea College. “That was their beginnings,” she said.

Nevertheless, education was not their parents’ only legacy. Their children highlight the values Martha and Ohlen exhibited and followed. 

After a successful career of serving others in his community, Ohlen returned to his hometown, Galax, Virginia, to “give back to the people there.” He established a free clinic through First Baptist Church for those who could not afford medical care. The clinic served many in the community for years and was later named in honor of Ohlen for his years of service. He supported programs like Medicines for All and God’s Appalachian Partnership and served on the Southern Baptist Foreign Mission Board.

A basic value that was shown in the lives of Martha and Ohlen was the foundation of gratitude. “They were thankful they attended Berea College and always paid it forward in their service to others,” Rudy added. “We kind of look back to Berea as a significant part of the molding and development of their character. They were an excellent model for all of us to follow,” Sharon explained.

Ohlen passed away on Nov. 8, 2025, and Martha died 53 days later, on Dec. 31. “Their granddaughter, Katy, said their grandmother didn’t want to spend another year without her husband,” Sharon remembers. 

Alongside that memory, Sharon holds close words from her parents that she will never forget. After her mother began using a wheelchair and struggled with the loss of her independence, she often questioned her purpose. “I remember my mother saying, ‘This is hard because you don’t have any control.’ My mother said, ‘What am I doing here? What’s my purpose here?’ And my dad said to her, ‘Your purpose is just to make others feel good about themselves and to encourage them; love them.’ That’s what he said. All you have to do is love them.”