Joe Edward Odom

FUNERAL SERVICES FOR JOE EDWARD ODOM, 88, OF THE ODOM COMMUNITY, MABANK, TEXAS, ARE AT 2:00 pm, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2018. EUBANK FUNERAL HOME IN CANTON, TEXAS WITH RON SHULTZ AND TRAVIS HUNT OFFICIATING. THERE WILL BE NO GRAVESIDE SERVICE, INTERMENT WILL BE AT ELM GROVE CEMETERY NEAR MABANK, TEXAS.

JOE WAS BORN APRIL 23, 1930, IN THE COUNTY LINE COMMUNITY NEAR MABANK TO PARENTS WILLIAM HARDY AND JESSIE LEONA (BAKER) ODOM. HE PEACEFULLY WENT TO PARADISE MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2018, COMPLETING HIS LABORS ON EARTH ON LABOR DAY.

JOE ATTENDED MABANK AND SCURRY-ROSSER SCHOOLS, THEN HENDERSON COUNTY JR. COLLEGE WHERE HE STUDIED BUSINESS AND ACCOUNTING. AFTER MUCH FAMILY TRAGEDY AND SPENDING THREE YEARS IN A HOSPITAL, JOE MET ANLENE WHITTON AND THEY WERE MARRIED AT THE MABANK CHURCH OF CHRIST, OCTOBER 26, 1956, AND THEY ENJOYED ALMOST 62 YEARS TOGETHER. THEY WORKED TOGETHER SAVING AND BUYING FARMLAND WHERE JOE ENJOYED SPENDING TIME CATTLE RANCHING. JOE LOVED WORKING IN THE SOIL AND WAS KNOWN FOR THE WONDERFUL WATERMELONS HE GREW.

ABOUT 1960, JOE STARTED WORKING AS A FIELD SALES AGENT FOR WASHINGTON NATIONAL INSURANCE COMPANY FOR OVER 35 YEARS. HE QUICKLY ADVANCED TO STAFF MANAGER, THEN THE COMPANY'S LEADING SALES DIRECTOR IN GREENVILLE AND TYLER FOR 5 CONSECUTIVE YEARS. HE WON MANY HONORS ALONG THE WAY, BEING CROWNED KING AND ANLENE AS HIS QUEEN ONE YEAR AT THE COMPANY'S NATIONAL CONVENTION. HE NEVER MISSED WINNING ANY FABULOUS TRIPS THE COMPANY OFFERED AND EARNED HIS WAY INTO THE THEIR ELITE CENTURY CLUB WINNING TWO RED BLAZERS. AFTER HE RETIRED HE WAS REHIRED AND WORKED SEVERAL YEARS ALL OVER THE UNITED STATES AS A CONSULTANT FOR UNDERPERFORMING OFFICES.

JOE AND ANLENE LIVED IN TYLER, TX FOR 48 YEARS WHERE THEY RAISED THEIR CHILDREN. THEY WERE MEMBERS OF THE SHILOH ROAD CHURCH OF CHRIST WHERE JOE SERVED AS A DEACON OF FINANCE, WENT ON SEVERAL MISSION TRIPS TO MEXICO AND HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF BAPTIZING FOUR OF HIS GRANDCHILDREN INTO CHRIST. IN 2014, JOE AND ANLENE MOVED BACK HOME TO MABANK, BUILT A HOUSE ON THEIR FARMLAND AND HAVE ATTENDED THE SAME CHURCH WHERE THEY MARRIED.

JOE ALSO SERVED AS A COMMITTEE MEMBER FOR THE BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA, TROUP 354, AS HE AND ANLENE ENCOURAGED AND HELPED GRANDSON, JORDAN, TO ATTAIN THE RANK OF EAGLE SCOUT.

JOE WAS AN AMAZING HUSBAND, FATHER, FATHER-IN-LAW, GRANDFATHER, BROTHER, UNCLE AND FRIEND AND WILL BE MISSED BY ALL WHO KNEW AND LOVED HIM. HE WAS VERY HARD WORKING, SOMEWHAT QUIET BUT STRONG AND COMPETITIVE. HE LOVED WATCHING THE RANGERS, PLAYING DOMINOES AND WAS KNOWN AS A “42” SHARK. HE DEARLY LOVED ALL HIS FAMILY AND ENJOYED PESTERING ANLENE'S TWO LITTLE BROTHERS WHEN THEY WERE SMALL, HIS OWN CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. HE LOVED TAKING HIS CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO THE FARM. IN 1949, HE HAD NO MONEY BUT WANTED A CAR SO HE TOOK A BUDDY, RAIDING OLD JUNK CAR LOTS, ETC, GATHERING CAR PARTS AND THEY BUILT A HOT ROD THAT OUT RAN ANY AUTOMOBILE ON THE HIGHWAYS, AT LEAST UNTIL A HIGHWAY PATROL ADVISED THEM TO GET THE THING OFF THE MAIN HIGHWAYS. THIS WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR ONE GRANDSON BECOMING A MECHANICAL ENGINEER.

JOE WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS PARENTS, BROTHER, ROBERT, SISTER, MARIE, THREE INFANTS AND PRECIOUS DAUGHTER, SHAUN ODOM POWELL.

JOE IS SURVIVED BY HIS LOVING WIFE, ANLENE, SON, JOE ODOM JR AND WIFE KATHY OF TULSA, OK, DAUGHTER, CHARLOTTE WAGNER AND HUSBAND CRAIG OF ROCKWALL, GRANDCHILDREN, JORDAN POWELL, TYLER, GARRETT ODOM, TULSA, OK, JAMES BAUNE, JR. AND WIFE AINSLEY, ORLANDO, FL, MARINE CPL AUSTIN BAUNE, CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, AUBREE BAUNE, DALLAS, TX, ANDERSEN BAUNE, CASSIE WAGNER, COLLEGE STATION, ALLIE WAGNER, NACOGDOCHES, BROTHERS, OLEN RAY “BUCK” ODOM, WHITTON COMMUNITY, ROLAND GLEN “MIDGE” ODOM, MABANK, SISTERS, WILLIE LOIS PITTS AND DOROTHY COX OF SCURRY, TX AND A HOST OF NIECES, NEPHEWS, FRIENDS NEIGHBORS AND LOVED ONES.

PALLBEARERS ARE GRANDCHILDREN, JORDAN POWELL, GARRETT ODOM, JAMES BAUNE, JR., AUBREE BAUNE, MARINE CPL AUSTIN BAUNE AND ANDERSEN BAUNE. HONORARY PALLBEARERS ARE KENNY ODOM, CHRIS AND CRAIG COX, BILLY BOB AND BRUCE BOOFER, CASSIE & ALLIE WAGNER, CHUCK WHITTON, MARK WHITTON, LOYD WHEELER, JEFF WOOLVERTON, BOB COLLINS, JULIO VAZQUEZ AND LES BURKETT.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, THE FAMILY REQUESTS THAT DONATIONS BE MADE IN JOE'S MEMORY TO HOSPICE OF EAST TEXAS, 4111 UNIVERSITY BLVD., TYLER, TX 75701, OR ALZHEIMER'S ASSOC. OR ARMS OF HOPE, 7065 LOVE, QUINLAN, TX 75474.

THE FAMILY WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS THEIR GRADITUDE TO OUR EXTENDED FAMILY, THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL OF HOSPICE OF EAST TEXAS, ESPECIALLY SALLY CHAMBLESS AND SONJA TAYLOR WHO HELPED ANLENE PROVIDE CARE FOR JOE AT HOME AND A HOST OF FRIENDS AND CHRISTIAN BROTHERS AND SISTERS FROM THE MABANK AND SHILOH ROAD CHURCH FAMILIES IN TYLER FOR THEIR LOVE AND SUPPORT.