Late WWII Vet Becomes America's Oldest Organ Donor At 95

WELCH, WV — The sacrifices Cecil Lockhart has made for the country have gone beyond his natural life. The World War II veteran and longtime West Virginia coal miner became the oldest organ donor in American history when his liver was recovered and received by a woman in her 60s, the Center for Organ Recovery & Education said earlier this week.

Lockhart died at age 95 earlier this month, his obituary states. His record-breaking organ donation turned into the final act of service in a life well lived, family members have said.

“He was a generous person when he was alive, and we are filled with pride and hope knowing that, even after a long, happy life, he is able to continue that legacy of generosity,” Lockhart’s daughter, Sharon White, said in a news release from the organ recovery center. “Knowing his life is continuing through others really is helping us through our grief, too.”

Lockhart was inspired to become an organ donor in his 80s after the death of his son, Stanley Lockhart. Stanley’s tissue donation helped heal 75 people after his death in 2010, the organ recovery center said. Little did Lockhart know at the time that he would eventually become the oldest organ donor in U.S. history.

Organ donations among older Americans are becoming more frequent in recent years, according to the organ recovery center.

More than 30 percent of the deceased organ donations since 1988 have been from people age 50 or older, according to data from the United Network for Organ Sharing. In 2021 alone, that figure is at 39 percent, signaling an upward trend.

Lockhart is among the 17 people age 90 or older who have become organ donors in the United States since 2001, according to the organ recovery center. His contribution is significant, said United Network for Organ Sharing Chief Medical Officer David Klassen.

“Too often, people mistakenly believe there is an age limit associated with being an organ donor,” Klassen said in a news release. “The truth is, no one is ever too old or too young to give the gift of life. Cecil’s generous and historic gift is a perfect example of that.”

A U.S. Army veteran who was stationed in the Philippines during World War II, Lockhart was proud of his military service.

“Just as he fought for our country’s freedom 75 years ago in World War II, he would be proud to know that he’s fighting for someone else today, as an organ donor,” Bill Davis, Lockhart's son-in-law, said in a news release.

Lockhart's family has asked people to honor his legacy by registering to become organ donors themselves.