Forrest David (Dave) Odom

Forrest David Odom, 72, of Abilene passed from this life to the next on Saturday, August 25th, 2012 in the loving presence of his family. A memorial service will be held at 1:00pm Wednesday August 29, 2012 at the Piersall Benton Chapel, 733 Butternut St. with inurnment to follow at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery. A family visitation will be held from 6-8 pm Tuesday evening at the funeral home.

Forrest David (Dave) Odom was born September 17, 1939 in Jacksonville, TX to Forrest Reagan and Hazel Virginia Bonner Odom. After attending elementary schools in Palestine, Troupe and Jacksonville, TX, Dave continued his schooling in Sweetwater, TX after moving there in 1950, graduating from Newman High School in 1957. He served in the US Marine Corps from July of 1957 to July of 1961, and graduated from Abilene Christian University in January of 1969 with a Degree in Industrial Arts and a minor in Bible. On July 19, 1970, Dave was united in marriage with Judy Marie Amundson in Hibbing, MN. He received his Masters Degree in education from ACU in the summer of 1980. Mr. Odom dedicated his career to education, teaching Industrial Arts at Madison Junior High School from 1969 through 1986. Self-taught in computer technology and programming, he was the first in the state of Texas to be certified through TEA to teach computer literacy and continued in that capacity at Madison Middle School until his retirement in 2001.

While working his way through college, Mr. Odom held various jobs, the most significant being that of a charter pilot and flight instructor at local airports. His love of flight prompted his application for the first Teacher in Space opportunity.

Odom was a long-time member of the Oakridge Church of Christ, for which he served as an elder for a number of years. A self-taught ham radio operator, Dave spent hours connecting foreign missionaries to U.S. contacts by "phone patches" in the days before computers and cellular phone connections.

He is survived by his wife, Judy Marie Amundson Odom, sons, Jay Dillon Odom and wife Sara Rains Odom and granddaughters Skyla and Layla Odom all of Abilene, and Frank Daniel Odom and wife Christina Akhtar Odom, of Atlanta, GA; brother Frank Duane Odom (Dee Odom) of Grandbury, TX and sister Betty Odom Chorn (James Chorn) of Beaumont, TX; nieces Lara Odom Harris of Hickory Creek, TX and Janelle Odom of Plano, TX and nephews Jonathan David Odom of York, NE, Jeff Chorn of Albuquerque, NM, Jim Chorn of Houston, TX and several great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Forrest Reagan Odom and mother, Hazel Virginia Odom.

Dave will be remembered as a true patriot who loved his country, as a skilled craftsman who built his own home, a technically minded person who was competent with computers and who could fix just about anything, and as a story-teller who loved to make people laugh at the adventures and mischief of his youth. He was most proud of his Marine training, Expert Rifleman badge, and various pilot licenses. His longing of a lifetime was to experience space travel and his application for the Teachers in Space program was made with the hope that his dream would come true.

Condolences may be offered to the family online at www.pbfuneraldirectors.com. The family asks that donations be made to the Oakridge Church of Christ/ Jail Ministry, York College in York, NE, the Abilene Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association or Hendrick Hospice Care.