Ray Eugene O’Dell

Ray Eugene O’Dell, age 80, a resident of Liberty, MO, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 7, 2017. Ray was born on Dec. 10, 1936, to John William and Mary Ann (Vinyard) O’Dell in Braymer.

Ray lived in Braymer as a child and graduated from the Braymer High School in 1954. Ray was united in marriage with June Kay Holder on Aug. 8, 1958, at the Braymer United Methodist Church. Ray and June moved to Kansas City in the late 1950s and began their working careers. Ray worked in management at the Bendix Corporation (later Allied-Signal and then Honeywell), and with June, he devoted his time to raising their two sons, Stan and Scott, both born in Kansas City.

Ray loved sports his whole life, playing high school football, basketball, and track and field. Later he played both basketball and fast-pitch softball well into his adult years in various leagues around Kansas City, then in later years switching his sports focus to golfing. Ray and June moved to Grandview in 1968, and became an active part of the Grandview community for many years. They took their sons on many fun and interesting summer vacations, helping to cultivate an interest in travel. Ray and June traveled multiple times to Hawaii to relax and soak up the beauty of the islands. In later years, they would travel with their granddaughters as well.

Ray retired from Allied-Signal after 34 years in 1992, and he and June moved in 2000 to Liberty, to enjoy their retirement years together and to watch their extended family grow to include cherished grandchildren and to share in the joys of watching all of their young family pursue their dreams.

Ray remained an active member of the United Methodist Church throughout his life, having membership in the Methodist churches at Braymer, at the Longview United Methodist Church in south Kansas City, and later in life, the United Methodist Church in Liberty. He was a Master Mason in Freemasonry for 59 years and a member of the Masonic Lodges in Braymer and in Breckenridge. Ray was an avid Mizzou sports fan and made the trip to Columbia with family for Mizzou football and basketball games for many years. He was also a Chiefs and Royals fan. He enjoyed watching and attending LPGA events and made three trips to the Solheim Cup, and visited some of the nation’s most famous golf courses.

Ray was preceded in death by his loving wife June; both of his parents; and two older brothers, Glenwood Carol (Casey) and William Lynn.

He is survived by his two sons, Stanley Ray O’Dell of Phoenix, and Gregory Scott O’Dell (Denise) of Kansas City; four granddaughters, Nicole O’Dell, Amber Sutton (Hunter), Kristin O’Dell, and Natalie Pottier (Christopher, and great-grandchildren William and Reagan), and a grandson, Terry More, all of the Kansas City area. Cremation will be followed by private family observances and inurnment at the Evergreen Cemetery in Braymer. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the United Methodist Churches of Liberty or Braymer, and the St. Luke’s Hospice House in Kansas City. Arrangements are under the direction of Park Lawn Northland Chapel, (816) 781-8228.

(paid obituary)