Starzl sculpture to be unveiled at Pitt

personality. Due to his declining health, that project never got underway.

After her husband died at age 90, Mrs. Starzl contacted friends with the idea of a life-sized bronze sculpture. Their contributions, fundraisers and a “gracious” contribution from Pitt, where he was on staff for more than 35 years, allowed completion of the project less than 16 months after his death.

During the two months that Ms. Wagner worked on a clay model of the sculpture, Mrs. Starzl stopped by her studio daily to watch the progress. “I knew I was breaking my own rules, but I told her she could come by,” Ms. Wagner said. “It was her way of holding onto the last part with him, and I understood that.”

“I had to be there. I was drawn to it,” Mrs. Starzl said. “I would sit there and feel the energy. It was not like he was gone.”

The Polich Tallix Art Bronze Foundry in Walden, N.Y., cast the Starzl sculpture.

Neither would describe the sculpture, ensuring that the unveiling would be a surprise. Ms. Wagner said she hasn’t slept well for days in anticipation: “I don’t like to have a lot of eyes on me. I’m shy. I’m not the life of the party. But I understand the need to be there.”

Another reason? “I’m afraid no one will like it,” she said.

As for Mrs. Starzl, she said she plans to walk daily with their golden retriever Chooloo to visit her husband’s sculpture. Yes, he was a serious scientist who even measured his coffee in a laboratory beaker to assure precisely 350 milliliters of water and 19 grams of coffee. He also had a roller-coaster career whose successes typically occurred only after heartbreaking setbacks, including patient deaths.

“I know the other part of him,” she said. “He was so caring and loving, and there was no one as transparent as Tom was.” One example was the time protesters gathered outside their Centre Avenue home to oppose his use of baboons in research. He went outside and offered them coffee.

“When he hurt, I hurt,” she said. “When he had accomplishments, I was happier than he was. I was his cheerleader, protector and tried to make everything OK.”

All of which foretells the unveiling of a sculpture amid plenty of emotion.