Thomas Lynn O'Dell

Thomas Lynn O’Dell, 88, of Huntsville passed away on Sunday, May 28, 2023. Tom is preceded in death by his wife Bertha Mae O’Dell and his daughter, Linda Diane Hickman.  

Tom’s surviving children include Julie (Malcom) Burns, Michael (Amy) O’Dell, and Stephen O’Dell. Those who called him Grandpa include Micah (Annie) O’Dell, Anna Laura (Matt) Rogers, Amanda (Chris) Lukawecz, Clancey (Clark) Wood, Mamie O’Dell (fiance Michael Pickering), and great-granddaughter Evalynn O’Dell. He is also survived by several nieces, nephews, and cousins.   

Tom was born in Bristol, Tenn. on February 14, 1935. He graduated from Bristol High School in 1953. He studied at King College in Bristol, Tenn. and graduated from the University of Montevallo in AL. with a bachelor's degree in business in administration. 

In his early years, Tom ran a tree trimming crew cutting right-of-ways for power lines. He began his career with the Army in the late 1950s. He was an instructor for Nike Ajax Nuclear Missile System. He loved his work as a quality analyst/engineer/manager. He worked with various space and defense contractors (Raytheon, GE, Sperry, Unisys, and Boeing) on various missile systems (Dragon, Gemini, Apollo, and Delta Rocket). 

Tom and Bertha continued their loving work with the United Methodist youth from Hunt Memorial Methodist to Lakewood, when they moved to Huntsville in 1966. The pair were passionate about serving their church.  

Tom is remembered for his love of cooking many delicious foods like enchiladas, cornbread, homemade biscuits, and spaghetti sauce. In addition to cooking, he had a wealth of knowledge of family genealogy and political conversations. One of his favorite pastimes was to spend warm days fishing. Tom often shared detailed life stories of his time in the Army and his fondest childhood memories. He had a passion for listening to a variety of music and keeping up with loved ones. He deeply loved his family, God, and his country. 

Spry Funeral Home will host the visitation from 12 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31. The family welcomes you to the graveside service immediately following at Maple Hill Cemetery in Huntsville. 

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