Cecil Dean Odom, Jr.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Mr. Cecil Dean Odom, Jr. will be at 10 am Wednesday, November 28, 2018, at The Minor Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Natchitoches with Rev.  Blake DeShautelle serving as celebrant.  Burial in the Oak Grove Cemetery will follow the Mass.  The family will receive friends from 5 pm until 9 pm on Tuesday, November 27, 2018, at Blanchard-St. Denis Funeral Home of Natchitoches.  A Rosary service will be held at 7 pm on Tuesday the 27th in the funeral home chapel. Cecil was born September 28, 1952, in Hattiesburg, MS and passed away November 24, 2018. He was the son of Cecil, Sr. and Sammie Jean Odom and the brother of Linda Odom Burns. Cecil married Emelda Gongre Odom on December 30, 1978, and together, they blessed this Earth with three children; Aaron, Jessica, and Alyssa. He invested lots of time into his marriage and also in his children; teaching them about the great things in life from poker and politics to Rice’s potato chips and Barq’s Root Beer. He was a talented, self-taught musician with a major love for music in general and played his banjo with pride. His working career consisted of being an assistant manager at A&P, oil and gas exploration and ultimately as a dispatcher for the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff’s Office, from where he retired. He made several friends from this job who will miss his storytelling and silly made-up words. Cecil found joy making others laugh with his unique sense of humor; if he didn’t pick on you, he didn’t like you. He was a man of his word and loved the Lord and his family with all he had. His “family” also included the attendees of the 6:30 AM mass at MBIC, as well as the Knights of Columbus Council 1357. Cecil was preceded in death by his parents and his paternal grandparents, Sebron and Nancy Odom and his maternal grandparents, Benjamin and Jennie Swilley. Left with tons of memories and all his love are his wife of 40 years, Emelda Odom, his only son, Aaron Odom and his wife Jessica, his daughters Jessica and Alyssa Odom, his grandchildren, Shannon Warren, Grace Warren, Charles Brian, Andrew Odom, Camille Lindsey and Aurora Alford all of Natchitoches, his sister Linda Odom Burns of Sulphur Springs, TX, his special Aunt Cansenya of Anahuac, TX, nine nieces and nephews, thirteen great nieces and nephews. He is also survived by five brothers-in-law, Randy, Dan, Darrell, Delbert and Denis who he could rely on day or night. Those honored to serve as pallbearers are David Bouchie, Bo Gongre, Dustin Gongre, Wade Henry, Kirby Moreau, Mike Scott, Kent Wakeley, and Shannon Warren. Honorary pallbearers will be Cody Alford, Jerry Duraso, Kevin Duraso, Wade Ebert, Michael Gongre, Sean Moreau, Steve Pezant, Gary Salard, H.P. “Buzz” Salard, Jason Self, Kenny Self, L. E. “Sonny” Sklar, Jr., Ronnie Quick, Forrest Veuleman, Jason Warren and the Knights of Columbus Council 1357. Donations in Cecil’s name may be made to St. Mary’s School, Knights of Columbus, or to the Northwest Louisiana Cancer Center Van Program.  Expressions of love with flowers may be sent to a person of your choosing, to brighten their day.                                                                                                 Faversham