Ralph David Odom

GILMER- Visitation for Ralph will be at Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer from 6:00-8:00pm on Thursday, March 17, 2016. The funeral service will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, March 18, 2016 at Rosewood Missionary Baptist Church and immediately followed by the burial service. Ralph David Odom passed away on March 15, 2016. He was born in Enon, TX on August 17, 1923 to Artemas Ward Odom and Florence Zela Irons. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by siblings, Dewie Odom and Montie Vaurine Odom. His brother JD Odom lives in Gilmer with his wife, Mable Jo. Ralph Graduated from Harmony High School and soon found himself graduating from the Fleet Torpedo School at US Destroyer Base in San Diego, CA. He served six months on Submarine USS S-31 at the submarine base at Pearl Harbor, HI. He received his honorable discharge on September 29, 1945. Returning back to Upshur County, he and Jimmie Louise Odom were happily married to enjoy a wonderful life together celebrating their 70th Anniversary on February 7, 2016. They raised 3 children, Gary David Odom (died June 20, 2014) and wife Deborah (died May 12, 2004), Danny Lynn Odom and wife, Linda, Pamela Sue Odom Hurd and husband, George. Ralph worked several jobs during his adult life; bakery, farming, ranching, but spent 30 years at International Harvester, retiring in 1980 to allow he and Louise to return to their beloved farm place in Rosewood, Texas. Ralph loved his church, family, and most of all his wife, Louise. Together they enjoyed working on their farm and getting visits from their children, grandchildren; Tara Johnson and husband, Kelley, Amber Reese and husband, Jason, Patrick Odom and wife, Julie, Rebecca Dye, George Hurd, Jr. and wife, Rua, Timothy Hurd, and twelve great grandchildren, Taylor, Cassidy, Zachary, Madeline, Allison, Jacey, Jackson, Jonah, Sarah, Sazienne, Nicole, and Leila.