On Thursday evening, October 27, 2016, God called one of his faithful and loyal servants home to rest as Emmit Cordova Odom Sr. peacefully departed this life at Georgia Regents University Hospital in Augusta, Ga. following a brief illness.
A Celebration of Life Service in memory of Deacon Emmit C. Odom Sr. was held on Thursday, Nov. 3, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Shrub Branch Missionary Baptist Church in Blackville presided by Evangelist Gwendolyn Neal. Interment followed at Hope Memorial Park in Barnwell.
Deacon Odom was born May 28, 1937 to the late Deacon Bazzie Odom Sr. and the late Jessie Joyner Odom Hutto. Later in his young life, after the death of his father, Deacon Odom was reared by his mother and Deacon Eli Hutto.
Deacon Odom united with God and joined the Shrub Branch Missionary Baptist Church at an early age, and remained there throughout his entire life. Deacon Odom was an extremely loyal and dedicated member, holding various positions at the church: Sunday School Superintendent, Chairman of the Trustee Board, Chairman of the Deacon Board, Church Treasurer, and everything else that was needed in between, even down to cutting grass and maintaining the church grounds. He was there to help no matter whenever or wherever the church needed him.
Emmit Odom graduated from Macedonia High School. On August 16, 1961, he joined the United States Army. He served in the Army for 21 years and achieved the rank of First Sergeant, a rank that is reserved for only the top 3 percent of the Army’s enlisted members. During this time, Deacon Odom enrolled in college and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Coker College in Hartsville. Deacon Odom earned many honors and awards while serving our country, among them being the National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, Combat Infantryman Badge, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and six Good Conduct Medals. After his military retirement in 1982, Deacon Odom embarked upon a second career as a security police officer at the Savannah River Site in Aiken under Centerra Security Forces (formerly known as Wackenhut Inc.).
Deacon Odom was a long time Master Mason of Brickyard Lodge #55 in Blackville. He was also a member of Napoleon Reed Chapter of Royal Arch Masons, Minus-Johnson-Stevens Order of Knights Templar, John B. Gadson Consistory #2 and Omar Temple #119. Deacon Odom was a member of various other civic organizations and held the position of Vice President for the Macedonia Congress of Christian Education and he was Chairperson of the King and Queen Contest for the same organization.
On July 16, 1958, Mr. Emmit Odom married Ms. Edith Wolfe. The couple remained together until his death parted them. To their union, four children were born.
Deacon Odom had seven siblings that preceded him in death: Elijah Odom, Bazzie Odom Jr., Elijah Hutto, Sidney Hutto, George Hutto, Benjamin Hutto and Lillie Hutto Thompson.
Left to cherish his memory: his wife, Mrs. Edith M. Odom of Blackville; two daughters, Ms. Alphelia Kirkland of Allen, Texas, and Ms. Kimberly Odom Williams of Blackville; two sons, Mr. Emmit C. (Valerie) Odom Jr. of South River, NJ and Mr. Derrick (Diane) Odom of Ft. Campbell, Kentucky; four sisters, Ms. Eartha Coker of New York, NY, Ms. Ida Bell Felder of Blackville, Ms. Vermell Thomas of Ft. Meyers, Fla. and Mrs. Ella H. (Jonathan) Brabham of Denmark; two brothers, Mr. Harold (Pearline) Hutto of Pageland and Mr. David (Katherine) Hutto of Blackville; three other sisters-in-law, Ms. Evelyn Odom of West Palm Beach, Fla., Ms. Lula Hutto of Waycross, Ga., and Ms. Alberta (Paul) Felder of Hempstead, NY; two other brothers-in-law, Mr. Jerome (Nancy) Williams of Albany, Ga. and Mr. Clinton (Evelyn) Williams of Charlotte, NC; 10 grandchildren; one great-grandchild and a host of other in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives and friends.