In a profession that inspires its practitioners
to care for patients well past
the traditional retirement age, Clair W.
O’Dell, D.C., Davenport ’36, is reaching
new levels of practice longevity. In September
2008, he celebrated 72 years as
a chiropractor, and, at age 92, is still
taking care of patients. In addition, he
and his wife, Martha, celebrated 71 years
of marriage in July 2008. Martha O’Dell,
C.A., graduated from the first Chiropractic
Assistant class at Palmer in 1936, and
has been involved with Dr. O’Dell’s clinic
in one capacity or another over the last
72 years.
Dr. Clair O’Dell practices in Southgate,
Mich., with his son, Roger O’Dell, D.C.
They have been in practice together for
40 years. Dr. Clair sees patients on
Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Over the years, he has inspired 215
patients to become chiropractors, and
38 family members have joined the profession,
including his sons Drs. Roger
and Jim O’Dell, and daughters Kay and
Joan, who are chiropractic assistants.
His passion for chiropractic and dedication
to helping his patients to better
health is evident not only in the many
years he has devoted to his profession,
but also the way he lives his life. One
of Dr. O’Dell’s quotes graced the walls
of Palmer’s Davenport Campus: “The
ingredients for success are ever present,
and are of the spirit. The formula includes
loyalty to cause, dedication to
principle, and unselfish service beyond
the call of duty.”
From his first chiropractic office, opened
in Wyandotte, Mich., in 1936, Dr. O’Dell
built a flourishing practice now housed in
a 12,000-square-foot clinic in Southgate.
It won the International Chiropractors
Association award for the biggest and
best-equipped clinic in the country
in 1949. He has received numerous
recognitions for his service to chiropractic,
including being named a Fellow of
the Palmer Academy of Chiropractic in
1967, and receiving a lifetime service
award from Parker Seminars in 2002.
Dr. O’Dell plans to keep serving his
patients to the best of his ability for
as long as possible. In an article in the
Nov. 26, 2008, issue of his hometown
newspaper, The News-Herald, about
his 72 years as a chiropractor, he said,
“I have no plans of slowing down. My
life’s goal has been to stay healthy and
busy in chiropractic getting sick people
well again and to help inform the world
of the wonders of chiropractic.”