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Alton C. Odom, Lt. Col. US Army, Retired, age 92 died Tuesday, December 2,
in his residence under the care of Ogeechee Area Hospice.
The Darlington, SC native lived many years in Erlanger, Germany before
moving to Statesboro in 1967. Mr. Odom was a U. S. Army veteran of World
War II and the Korean War before retiring in 1967. He was an active
member of Statesboro First Presbyterian Church, where he was a church
elder and served in many other capacities and was also an active member
of the Statesboro Kiwanis Club, being named Kiwanian of the Year in
1991. Alton served as Troop Master of Boy Scout Troop 350 for many years
and helped start the first Red Cross shelters in Bulloch County and was
also instrumental in helping start the Bulloch County Food Bank. Alton
received the Dean Day Smith Service to Mankind Award in 1989 and the
Lifetime Achievement Award in 1999.
Mr. Odom was a strong family man, always lending support to his children
and extended family alike and was an avid golfer. Alton was preceded in
death by his wife of 59 years, Dorothy S. Odom, sons, Kenneth Alton Odom
and Steven Ellis Odom.
Mr. Odom is survived by his daughter, Judith O. Reece and her husband,
Perry of Woodstock; daughter-in-law, Elaine Odom of Gig Harbor, WA;
grandchildren, Rachel Odom-Parsons and her husband, Scott of Tampa, FL;
Callie Reece and her husband Alain Fernandez of Decatur;
great-grandchild, Jackson Reece-Fernandez of Decatur; grandniece, Cindy
Hope and her husband, Chris of Shellman Bluff and many nieces and
nephews.
The family will receive friends 6:00 – 8:00 PM Friday, December 5, in
Hodges-Moore Funeral Home.
Funeral service will be held 2:00 PM Saturday, December 6, in Statesboro
First Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Dan Lewis officiating. Mr.
Odom will lie in state from 1:00 PM until the funeral hour. Burial will
be in Eastside Cemetery with Full Military Honors.
Memorial contributions may be made to Ogeechee Area Hospice, P.O. Box
531, Statesboro, GA 30459, Statesboro First Presbyterian Church, 1215
Fair Road, Statesboro, GA 30458 or Bulloch County Food Bank, 400 Donnie
Simmons Way, Statesboro, GA 30458.
[source:
Hodges-Moore Funeral Home] |
Alton enlisted in the Army at Ft. Bragg, NC and volunteered
for parachutist duty. His early assignments are
unknown but on 27 June 1943 he was discharged to accept a commission
which was effective the following day.
On 26 April 1945 2nd Lt Odomn was transferred from
Detachment 51 GFRC [Ground Force Replacement Command] to Company F,
508th PIR classified as a Parachute Infantry Unit Commander.
In July 1945 is name appears in the regiment's phone
directory showing his as the Communications Officer, 2nd Bn; with
quarters at 18 Im Burgfeld. This address was in a blo9ck of
apartments used by the regiment officers during their stay in Frankfort.
Lt Odom remained in the Army after WWII and his
service record to date appeared in the U.S., Select Military Register as
shown below.
On 22 August 1962 he retired as a Lt. Col. |
