Anna Marie Franer Odelius

Anna Marie Franer Odelius passed away on Thursday, April 17, 2025, with her beloved son at her side.

Ann, as she was known to family and friends, was born in Houston, Texas, to Lenora Kobs and Marvin Franer on April 6, 1941. She was their first child and only daughter, with two brothers, Tim and Jim. Ann grew up in Spring Branch—at the time a small, country suburb so far from Houston that visiting cousins from the Houston Heights had to come spend the whole day.

Ann graduated from Spring Branch High School. With a love of music instilled by her family, she went north to attend Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, majoring in music education. At a church social at the Evangelical Free Church of Wheaton, Illinois, Ann met Larry Odelius, a young mechanical engineer from Rockford who had recently graduated from Indiana Tech and come home to work. They began dating—until Larry was drafted into the US Army.

But God had a plan for Ann and Larry. After basic training, Larry’s engineering degree earned him a post on an Army engineering team in Arlington, Virginia. As soon as Ann graduated from Wheaton, she moved to Arlington. For the next year, she shared an apartment with a roommate, taught elementary school music, and spent time with Larry. They went sightseeing and picnicking around Washington, D.C., and went up to New York City for Broadway shows. In 1963, Larry was honorably discharged from the Army, and on July 13 he and Ann married. They settled in Houston, living first in the Memorial area and later in the home that Ann’s father built in Jersey Village.

In her mid-twenties, Ann’s lifestyle changed permanently. After a brief bout with a virus, she became progressively sicker. Hospitalized, she learned that her pancreas had been destroyed by the illness. At the time of her diagnosis with Type 1 diabetes, Ann’s doctor said that if she was careful and disciplined, she might make it to age 45. She survived more than 57 years, nearly 40 years past the initial prognosis—a testament to her discipline and commitment and the radical advances in diabetes care since the 1960s.

Because of the potential for complications from diabetes, Ann was advised not to have children. So in 1969, she and Larry adopted a son, Dwight Nelson Odelius, who was the light of their life. Ann, in particular, encouraged Dwight to pursue a variety of experiences in the arts, including theater, music, and media arts.

Around 1980, Ann returned to work with a newfound professional interest in travel and tourism. After some time learning about travel and sales, she joined Classic Hawaii (part of Classic Vacations) as a sales consultant. Ann was a gifted salesperson who enjoyed sharing the joys of travel, and she fell completely in love with Hawaii. She traveled there often for work and was able to share her passion for the islands with her family, too. During their 58-year marriage, Ann and Larry visited many destinations in the U.S., Europe, Australia, and the Caribbean. As ardent supporters of the arts, especially musical theater, they also enjoyed regularly attending performances by the Houston Symphony, and frequented events at Theater Under the Stars (TUTS).

Ann and Larry shared a steadfast belief that service to God and Jesus Christ should be at the center of their lives. As young adults and through the 1970s, they attended Spring Branch Community Church and volunteered with Young Life. They were active in Bible Study Fellowship and in 1980 joined South Main Baptist Church in Houston. In 2001, after Larry’s retirement, they moved to a house on Lake Conroe. They joined First Baptist Conroe and enjoyed being part of the Uplifters Life Group. In 2011, they learned about Operation Christmas Child and its parent organization Samaritan’s Purse. For the next 10 years, Ann worked alongside Larry, supporting his role as OCC Montgomery County North Area Coordinator. After Larry’s death in 2021, Ann continued to be active in OCC prayer ministries, and OCC team members often visited and took her to tour their project sites.

Ann inherited her love of entertaining from her mother, Lenora. They often collaborated to host major holidays at the Odelius home in Jersey Village or Lenora’s home in Huntsville. After her mother passed, Ann continued to draw her family close to celebrate holidays and host annual reunions with her cousins. Even as age and diabetes began to claim her hearing, sight, and mobility, she continued without hesitation to share her life and love with family, friends, and neighbors.

Ann Odelius was preceded in death by her parents and beloved husband Larry. She is survived by her son Dwight Odelius and his wife Laura; twin grandsons Alexander and Daniel Odelius; brother Tim Franer and his wife Jani; brother Jim Franer and his wife Susan; nieces and nephews Heather Franer and her family, Heath Franer and his family, Josh Franer, and Cassie Franer; “co-grandmother” Rose Sinclair; and numerous cousins in the Franer, Froehner, Kobs, Peterson, and related families.

Ann’s ashes will be committed alongside Larry’s at Houston National Cemetery in Houston, Texas. A memorial celebration of Ann’s life will take place on Monday, June 16, 2025, at 11 a.m. at First Baptist Conroe, with a reception to follow in the fellowship hall.

Memorial gifts can be made in Ann’s name to:

Operation Christmas Child: https://www.samaritanspurse.org/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/

Beyond Type 1: https://beyondtype1.org/donate/

or First Baptist Conroe: https://fbcconroe.org/give

A Memorial Service will be held at First Baptist Church Conroe, 600 N Main St, Conroe, TX 77301, on Monday, June 16, 2025 at 11:00 AM. A Reception will immediately follow in Herrington Hall from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM.