Obituary for William Clarence Odol Jr
William C. Odol, Jr. was born on July 17, 1931. He was the first born of William C. Odol, Sr. and Almeta Thompson.
His education started at St. Pius Roman Catholic School completing grades one through ten. He continued at Stanton Sr. High School attaining his high school diploma. In Jr. High he played many sports including: football, basketball, baseball and he ran track. In high school he played varsity football and baseball. It was evident that he developed a love for sports. In addition to the sports he joined the Boy Scouts. He went through the ranks of scouting, thus receiving the Eagle Scout Award in 1946; a designation that few scouts achieve.
Since the age of ten William would watch his father, who was a licensed mortician, embalm bodies. At that early age he was intrigued with the process, and decided that I wanted to be a mortician. After high school he went to Boston, MA. In the hopes of attending the New England Institute of Anatomy. Unfortunately he did not gain admission. William went back to Florida and enrolled in a three-year apprenticeship program in funeral directing at Hillman and Pratt Funeral Home. He completed the course. Later in life he took mortuary science classes at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, NY and Nassau Community College. He gained enough credits to pursue the science and art of embalming. He was in demand for his services of embalming throughout New York City and Queens, NY. He freelanced at Peter J. Lance Funeral Home, Lafayette Rogers Funeral Home both in NYC, and Roy L. Gilmore Funeral Home in St. Albans, NY.
Other employment included working in the Garment District in NYC, a licensed Recreation Therapist for New York State (This employment was for only four years under a grant issued by Governor Nelson Rockefeller.) William did several stints with the Post Office both here in New York and in Jacksonville, FL. As he got older he started to think about a job with good retirement benefits. So he returned to the Post Office in New York and stayed until he retired on disability in 1985.
After being drafted, on September 5, 1951 William was inducted into the U.S. Army at Camp Killman, New Brunswick, NJ. From there he went to Hawaii, and then transferred to Japan and finally a transfer to Korea. He fought the war in Korea. In Korea he was injured in his leg, thus ending his career in the military. He received an honorable discharge from the army on September 4, 1953.
On August 29, 1950 he married Jacqueline Bowens. From that union three children were born, Clarissa, Cynthia, and Javan (who is now deceased.) There were four grandsons, Frederick, Sylvester, Eric, Darius and one granddaughter, Octavia. After their marriage was dissolved William moved back to New York in the 60’s and has remained here until his death.
In 1973 William met Marilyn Elaine Bennett. After a short courtship they married on January 17, 1974. From that union two sons were born, Conrad and Corey and one granddaughter, Marisa and one grandson, Conrad, Jr. He joined Bridge Street AWME Church in 1974. Rev. William P. Foley was the pastor at the time. He was a member of the Veterans Ministry
Once again he immersed himself into the sports arena. He coached Conrad’s soccer team in Amityville, NY. and he was a football coach at Kellenberg, High School, the school that Conrad and Corey attended. He enjoyed traveling. We vacationed at least twice a year. He also enjoyed eating so dining out was not a problem. The distance to the restaurant was never a problem either if the food was good. We have dined at some of the best restaurants on Long Island and in NYC. He was a lover of jazz so a night out often included a jazz concert and dinner. He loved going to the city for entertainment especially Harlem.
Being retired gave William the time to get involved in his community. He joined the Carman Road Civic Association and became their president in about two years. That’s when the work really started. He made frequent visits to the Town Of Oyster Bay (that is the umbrella township for Massapequa, the town he lived in,) our local school board and any organization that dealt with the betterment of the eastern portion of Massapequa. Some of his accomplishments included: refurbishing a park-let which was named in honor of his mentor, H. Garrett Williams (now called the H. GARRICK WILLIAMS PARK), installation of traffic lights on Carman Road which was previously used as “speedway,” planting of trees, created a better relationship with the police department, saving a shopping center that was going to be torn down for an apartment complex, initiating and won a class action suit against the Town of Oyster Bay for unfair taxation on the homes in our area, and the list goes on. He has received many certificates, citations, and commendations for his work. However the greatest honor is the naming of the community building in the H. Garrett Williams Park in his honor. The building is named “WILLIAM C. ODOL COMMUNITY CENTER. In addition William served as
Commissioner for the WATER AUTHORITY of SOUTHEASTERN NASSAU COUNTY.
William had many health challenges over the years. However, he always bounced back. On March 1, 2011 he was admitted to the Northport VA Hospital. By April 2011 it was clear to the doctors that he needed long term care so he was transferred to the St. Albans Extended Care Facility in St. Albans, NY. The doctors predicted that he only had six month to live. But as most of you know Bill was always determined to have things his way. Except for a few admissions to the VA Hospital in Brooklyn, NY and NYC, St. Albans was his home for the past eight years and four months. He wasn’t ready to go in 2011 but I guess God spoke to him around 6:45 AM on August 12, 2019 to come on home and he decided to give up the fight and journey to his new home in heaven. He transitioned at 6:55 AM on August 12, 2019.
William leaves to mourn his Wife, Marilyn, Sons Conrad and Corey and Granddaughter, Marisa Odol and Grandson Conrad Odol, Jr. Sister Juanita Sharpe, Brother-in law Richard A. Bennett, Sister-in-law Vivian E. Bennett, Devoted Cousins Emueal and Maria Brickhouse, and many nephews, nieces, friends and neighbors. Son Javan Odol, Brother Walter Odol predeceased him as well as brothers William Lesley Odol and Thomas Gordon Odol.
Daughters Clarissa Odol Genwright and Cynthia Odol Hopkins, grandsons Frederick, Sr., Sylvester, Granddaughter Octavia, and several Great-grandchildren also survive William.
Done in Love and Victory,
Marilyn E. Odol and Family
His education started at St. Pius Roman Catholic School completing grades one through ten. He continued at Stanton Sr. High School attaining his high school diploma. In Jr. High he played many sports including: football, basketball, baseball and he ran track. In high school he played varsity football and baseball. It was evident that he developed a love for sports. In addition to the sports he joined the Boy Scouts. He went through the ranks of scouting, thus receiving the Eagle Scout Award in 1946; a designation that few scouts achieve.
Since the age of ten William would watch his father, who was a licensed mortician, embalm bodies. At that early age he was intrigued with the process, and decided that I wanted to be a mortician. After high school he went to Boston, MA. In the hopes of attending the New England Institute of Anatomy. Unfortunately he did not gain admission. William went back to Florida and enrolled in a three-year apprenticeship program in funeral directing at Hillman and Pratt Funeral Home. He completed the course. Later in life he took mortuary science classes at Farmingdale State College in Farmingdale, NY and Nassau Community College. He gained enough credits to pursue the science and art of embalming. He was in demand for his services of embalming throughout New York City and Queens, NY. He freelanced at Peter J. Lance Funeral Home, Lafayette Rogers Funeral Home both in NYC, and Roy L. Gilmore Funeral Home in St. Albans, NY.
Other employment included working in the Garment District in NYC, a licensed Recreation Therapist for New York State (This employment was for only four years under a grant issued by Governor Nelson Rockefeller.) William did several stints with the Post Office both here in New York and in Jacksonville, FL. As he got older he started to think about a job with good retirement benefits. So he returned to the Post Office in New York and stayed until he retired on disability in 1985.
After being drafted, on September 5, 1951 William was inducted into the U.S. Army at Camp Killman, New Brunswick, NJ. From there he went to Hawaii, and then transferred to Japan and finally a transfer to Korea. He fought the war in Korea. In Korea he was injured in his leg, thus ending his career in the military. He received an honorable discharge from the army on September 4, 1953.
On August 29, 1950 he married Jacqueline Bowens. From that union three children were born, Clarissa, Cynthia, and Javan (who is now deceased.) There were four grandsons, Frederick, Sylvester, Eric, Darius and one granddaughter, Octavia. After their marriage was dissolved William moved back to New York in the 60’s and has remained here until his death.
In 1973 William met Marilyn Elaine Bennett. After a short courtship they married on January 17, 1974. From that union two sons were born, Conrad and Corey and one granddaughter, Marisa and one grandson, Conrad, Jr. He joined Bridge Street AWME Church in 1974. Rev. William P. Foley was the pastor at the time. He was a member of the Veterans Ministry
Once again he immersed himself into the sports arena. He coached Conrad’s soccer team in Amityville, NY. and he was a football coach at Kellenberg, High School, the school that Conrad and Corey attended. He enjoyed traveling. We vacationed at least twice a year. He also enjoyed eating so dining out was not a problem. The distance to the restaurant was never a problem either if the food was good. We have dined at some of the best restaurants on Long Island and in NYC. He was a lover of jazz so a night out often included a jazz concert and dinner. He loved going to the city for entertainment especially Harlem.
Being retired gave William the time to get involved in his community. He joined the Carman Road Civic Association and became their president in about two years. That’s when the work really started. He made frequent visits to the Town Of Oyster Bay (that is the umbrella township for Massapequa, the town he lived in,) our local school board and any organization that dealt with the betterment of the eastern portion of Massapequa. Some of his accomplishments included: refurbishing a park-let which was named in honor of his mentor, H. Garrett Williams (now called the H. GARRICK WILLIAMS PARK), installation of traffic lights on Carman Road which was previously used as “speedway,” planting of trees, created a better relationship with the police department, saving a shopping center that was going to be torn down for an apartment complex, initiating and won a class action suit against the Town of Oyster Bay for unfair taxation on the homes in our area, and the list goes on. He has received many certificates, citations, and commendations for his work. However the greatest honor is the naming of the community building in the H. Garrett Williams Park in his honor. The building is named “WILLIAM C. ODOL COMMUNITY CENTER. In addition William served as
Commissioner for the WATER AUTHORITY of SOUTHEASTERN NASSAU COUNTY.
William had many health challenges over the years. However, he always bounced back. On March 1, 2011 he was admitted to the Northport VA Hospital. By April 2011 it was clear to the doctors that he needed long term care so he was transferred to the St. Albans Extended Care Facility in St. Albans, NY. The doctors predicted that he only had six month to live. But as most of you know Bill was always determined to have things his way. Except for a few admissions to the VA Hospital in Brooklyn, NY and NYC, St. Albans was his home for the past eight years and four months. He wasn’t ready to go in 2011 but I guess God spoke to him around 6:45 AM on August 12, 2019 to come on home and he decided to give up the fight and journey to his new home in heaven. He transitioned at 6:55 AM on August 12, 2019.
William leaves to mourn his Wife, Marilyn, Sons Conrad and Corey and Granddaughter, Marisa Odol and Grandson Conrad Odol, Jr. Sister Juanita Sharpe, Brother-in law Richard A. Bennett, Sister-in-law Vivian E. Bennett, Devoted Cousins Emueal and Maria Brickhouse, and many nephews, nieces, friends and neighbors. Son Javan Odol, Brother Walter Odol predeceased him as well as brothers William Lesley Odol and Thomas Gordon Odol.
Daughters Clarissa Odol Genwright and Cynthia Odol Hopkins, grandsons Frederick, Sr., Sylvester, Granddaughter Octavia, and several Great-grandchildren also survive William.
Done in Love and Victory,
Marilyn E. Odol and Family