Leatrice Joye (Hall) O'Dell

Leatrice Joye O’Dell died in Wimberley, TX, on March 25, 2023. She was born November 12, 1928, in Harper County, Oklahoma, to James and Mary Beatrice Hall. She was 94 years old at the time of her death. She was preceded in death by her husband, Edward Jarvis O’Dell Jr., to whom she was married for 65 years upon Edward’s passing. She is survived by her children, Michael O’Dell, Michelle Parker, and Melodi Weinberg, as well as six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

Leatrice enjoyed a large family during her childhood. Her brothers and sister were Evelyn Juanita Howard, Beatrice Lucille Roetker Audra Virginia Massey, James Marcus Hall, Ena Audora Orindgreff, Ila Oklahoma Fredericksen, and Stanley Jerome Hall. All her siblings are now deceased. She graduated from Buffalo High School in 1946 and Wichita Business College in 1948.

Edward O’Dell Jr and Leatrice were married on June 6, 1950, in the First Baptist Church of Buffalo, Oklahoma. They spent their honeymoon in Estes Park, Colorado. That honeymoon resulted in a love for Estes Park. After residing in various locations in Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and Colorado, they made Estes Park their home from 1971 until 2019. Unfortunately, Leatrice’s health was such by 2019 that she required help; she moved to Wimberley, Texas, in 2019, where her daughter Melodi could assist in her care at Alexis Pointe Senior Living.

Leatrice will be remembered as an understanding listener with empathy for others. She kept in touch with her siblings well and deeply felt the loss of each. She exhibited remarkable physical and mental strength while caring for Edward, who struggled with dementia in his last years. She enjoyed travel trailer camping, although the campers became more elaborate over the years. While in Estes, she enjoyed spending time with her sorority sisters. She always seemed to have a cup of coffee in hand.

Keeping with Leatrice’s wishes, her burial ceremony will be for immediate family only. Instead of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Buffalo High School Alumni Association. Their mailing address is: BHS Alumni Association, PO Box 325, Buffalo, Oklahoma 73834