Meet Vivien Thomas’ Kids: Theodosia Patricia Thomas and Olga Fay Thomas

Vivien Theodore Thomas (August 29, 1910 – November 26, 1985) was a trailblazing African American surgical technician whose work transformed the field of cardiac surgery.

Best known for co-developing the Blalock-Thomas-Taussig shunt, a life-saving procedure for children with blue baby syndrome, Thomas left an enduring legacy in modern medicine.

Born in New Iberia, Louisiana, on August 29, 1910, Thomas was the grandson of enslaved people and grew up in the deeply segregated South.

His parents, William Maceo Thomas, a carpenter, and Mary Alice Eaton Thomas, raised several children, including Willard Maceo Thomas (1907–1995), Harold Thomas and Melba M. K. Thomas Jackson (1913–1938). Vivien, the fourth child, likely had additional siblings, though documentation is limited.

During his early years, the family relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. There, Thomas learned carpentry from his father while working to save money for college, with dreams of becoming a physician.

However, the 1929 stock market crash wiped out his savings and ended his plans for formal medical education. He graduated from Pearl High School in 1929 but, due to financial constraints, was unable to pursue a degree.

In 1933, Thomas married Clara Beatrice Flanders of Macon, Georgia, with whom he shared a lifelong partnership. Together, they had two daughters: Olga Fay (born 1934) and Theodosia Patricia (born 1938). Some sources have claimed Thomas had additional children named Marilyn, William, Audrey, and Clifton, but historical records consistently verify only two daughters.

Despite the barriers of poverty and systemic racism, Thomas’ determination and brilliance led him to extraordinary accomplishments. He became a laboratory supervisor at Vanderbilt University before moving to Johns Hopkins University, where he collaborated with surgeon Alfred Blalock.

Without any formal medical training, Thomas pioneered surgical techniques, trained generations of surgeons, and reshaped the field of cardiac surgery. In recognition of his contributions, Johns Hopkins awarded him an honorary doctorate in 1976.

Olga Fay Thomas

Olga Fay Thomas, born in 1934, was the first child of Vivien and Clara Thomas. Growing up in Nashville and later Baltimore, Olga was shaped by her father’s determination to rise above adversity.

Both she and her sister benefited from their parents’ emphasis on education, a priority Vivien held despite his own interrupted academic journey. Olga attended Morgan State College (now Morgan State University), earning the degree her father was denied due to financial hardship.

Her pursuit of higher education reflects the Thomas family’s commitment to breaking barriers. Olga’s path honoured her father’s legacy of perseverance, as she navigated a world still grappling with racial inequality.

Theodosia Patricia Thomas

Born in 1938, Theodosia Patricia Thomas was the younger of the two daughters. Like Olga, she was raised in a household that valued intellectual achievement and resilience in the face of societal challenges.

Theodosia also attended Morgan State College, a testament to the family’s focus on education as a means of empowerment. The move to Baltimore in 1941, when Vivien joined Blalock at Johns Hopkins, exposed Theodosia to the harsh realities of segregated housing and societal discrimination, yet her parents shielded their daughters while fostering their ambitions.

Theodosia’s life, though private, is a reflection of the strength and humility her father embodied, as seen in his 1971 speech at Johns Hopkins, where he expressed gratitude for contributing to global health solutions.

Addressing the Misconception

Despite claims in some sources suggesting Vivien Thomas had additional children named Marilyn, William, Audrey, and Clifton Thomas, reputable historical records, including Thomas’ autobiography Partners of the Heart and multiple biographical accounts, confirm that he and Clara had only two daughters, Olga Fay Thomas and Theodosia Patricia Thomas.

The mention of other children appears to stem from misinformation or confusion with unrelated individuals. For instance, web sources like Wikipedia, the Johns Hopkins Medical Archives, and articles from The Washingtonian and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution consistently reference only Olga and Theodosia.

No credible documentation supports the existence of Marilyn, William, Audrey, or Clifton as Thomas’ children.