Susan Heiskell Wilkes was born in Nashville January 16, 1888 daughter of Annie Heiskell McCampbell and James Horace Wilkes. After graduating from Ward Seminary, she attended the Art Students League in New York and later studied medical illustration at Johns Hopkins University with famed medical illustrator Max Brodel. Following two years at Johns Hopkins, Miss Wilkes was hired in 1925 by Dr. G. Canby Robinson to head the first medical illustration department at Vanderbilt Medical Center. Remaining at Vanderbilt for over 30 years, she was also one of the founding members of the International Association of Medical Illustrators serving as a member of the board of directors. Susan Wilkes worked in many mediums, watercolor, oil, pencil, and pastels. She was also an excellent photographer. She died in Morgantown, West Virginia on December 16, 1969.