William J. Odom (Bill) passed away Saturday, April 15, 2017. He was 82, just three days shy of his 83rd birthday. He passed away peacefully in his sleep while in Kirkwood Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in New Braunfels, Texas.
Bill (or Billy Joe to those who knew him in his early years) grew up in Hazlehurst, Ga., and Fernandina Beach. After graduating from high school, he joined the Air Force and served for 23 years throughout the world before his retirement. During his military service, he met his wife, Kira, and had two children, Bill Jr. and Doug.
Bill continued his education while serving in the Air Force and completed his master’s degree in education. After retirement from the military, he transitioned into the public school system and served more than 20 years as a teacher, counselor, principal and special-education administrator. He also faithfully attended and served in churches throughout his life, and God is now welcoming him home.
He dedicated his life to the service of others: God, his family, his country and the thousands of students he impacted in public education. His passing is both a cause for sadness for those who loved him and a time to celebrate a life well lived.
He will be buried beside his wife, Kira, in a military ceremony at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.
He is survived by two children and five grandchildren, six of whom live in the San Antonio area, and one lives in Africa.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the American Heart Association.