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Oregon State Hospital holds ceremony to reunite unclaimed remains with families

The OSH Cremains Memorial opened on the OSH Salem campus in 2014 and is one of 50 public art pieces recognized this year during the state’s 50th anniversary celebration of Oregon’s Percent for Art in Public Places Program.
Provided by Oregon State Hospital
The OSH Cremains Memorial opened on the OSH Salem campus in 2014 and is one of 50 public art pieces recognized this year during the state’s 50th anniversary celebration of Oregon’s Percent for Art in Public Places Program.

The Oregon State Hospital held a ceremony Tuesday for 116 people who lived and died in state institutions between 1914 and 1973. Their remains were never claimed over the years.

OSH reunified those remains with family at its annual remains ceremony.

The Oregon State Hospital operated a crematorium until 1973. According to a press release, OSH had the cremains for 3,500 people who had died at state-run institutions.

Since 2014, the cremains of 1,300 people have been identified and returned to families.