JAMES ROY (JIM) ODOM
April 29, 1935- November 9, 2017
James Roy (Jim) Odom, 82, resident of Morgan City, passed away Nov. 9, 2017, at the Summit Retirement Center in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Born April 29, 1935, in Altus, Oklahoma to Jesse and Eula Mae Odom, Jim was the fourth of nine children. He grew up in Brownfield, Texas, and resided the majority of his adult life in Morgan City, Louisiana.
Jim was married to Peggy Jean Rankin for 41 years, raising three children together. As a young couple, they lived in several places — Raceland, Houma, and Perth, Australia — before settling down in Morgan City, Louisiana.
Jim worked in the oilfield and trucking business, leasing trucks to Acme Truck Line for more than 25 years. As a young man, he proudly served in the US Air Force, being stationed in Ashiya, Japan, during the Korean War. His passion for sports, and especially football, lasted throughout his life. He was a long-time Saints fan, even during the lean years. Jim was a friend to everyone he met, offering all he had to help others in need.
Jim is survived by his children, Kathleen Moore, Russell (Linda) Earles and Laura (Dale Verret) Odom; grandchildren, Jessica (Kenney Patureau) Moore, Dustin (Dawn) Earles, Ryan Earles and Russell Earles II; great-grandchildren, Kameron and Ezra Patureau, Russell III, EmmaKate, Andrew, Eve and Deckard Earles; brothers, Bobby (Susan) Odom and Arlan (Ruth Ann) Odom; and sisters, Laura Mae Clark, Kay Jeffries and Linda Odom.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Jesse and Eula Mae Odom; wife, Peggy Jean Rankin Odom; and brothers, Jesse “Junior” Odom, Troy Bryan Odom and Winston Odom.
The family would like to thank the staff of the Summit Retirement Center for their loving care and support during the last years. Jim often commented that he was well taken care of by them.
Visitation will be from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m.on Monday, Nov. 3, at Twin City Funeral Home, with the visitation resuming from 9 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 14, at Atkinson Memorial Presbyterian Church.
Following the service, Jim will be laid to rest in the Morgan City Mausoleum with Military Honors rendered by Keesler Air Force Base Honor Guard and the East St. Mary Veterans Funeral Squad. The family would like to invite everyone to join them in a celebration of Jim’s life at the Atkinson Memorial Presbyterian Church hall immediately following graveside service.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association or the American Cancer Society.