Mark Anthony Odom

“Tony” as many referred to him was born on February 25, 1962, in Atlanta, Georgia, to Hillman Reeder “Pete” Odom Jr and Bonnie Jean (Moon) Odom.

While the family moved around given his father’s career in the Marine Corps, he was a Georgia boy and grew up surrounded by his family.

Tony married Belinda Wilson shortly after high school and became a proud father of a son, Michael Andrew “Andy” Odom. While a childhood back injury prevented him from finishing boot camp and following the path his father set as a U.S. Marine, Tony found his niche in the computer industry for 20 years even working alongside his hero, his father.

Tony divorced and later re-married Elaine Elsner. While he ultimately divorced again, Tony continued to be a curious and gregarious individual.

He moved to the retail construction business with Leeman and enjoyed traveling and leading a crew to set stores up across America. It was on a break from work when he met Garnet. He had taken an extended vacation in 2014 to help his aging parents enjoy their place in St. Maarten and during that trip he met Garnet who was vacationing with family friends.

The two bonded over the aspect of caregiving and smitten with each other and have been together since. The couple married in June of 2017 and purchased their dream pool that happened to come with a modest home in Wylie in 2019. Tony continued to travel for work and wanted to be HOME with Garnet and thus began a new career, that he loved and excelled, working for Department of Homeland Security TSA at Dallas Love Field. He developed a second family with his fellow officers. They played together on a softball team, enjoyed cookouts at Tony and Garnet’s and generally just had each other’s backs on and off the job. He was bursting with pride when he was selected to represent his peers as a union rep.

He loved playing and watching baseball and following SEC college football, especially his beloved Georgia Bulldogs. Tony was an avid reader, learning anything to do with history, movies, and playing computer video games, sometimes all at once because he said it “kept his brain active”. His dream vacations were always with Garnet to the Friendly Island of St. Maarten.

Mark is preceded in death by his father Hillman Reeder Odom Jr., mother in-law Verneil Roper and both former mothers-in-law Gwendola Wilson and Francine Elsner.

Mark is survived by his wife beloved wife Garnet (Roper-Eldred) Odom of Wylie, TX, his mother Bonnie Jean (Moon) Odom of Williamson, GA, father in-law Harold Roper of Allen, TX. As well as survived by his son Andy Odom, stepsons Eddy Ray and Jeremy Davis, Austin Eldred, Wesley Eldred and his siblings, Monica (Robert) Sanders, Melissa (Robert) Smith, Mathew Odom, Mary (Adam) Scranage, Jacob Odom, several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins. He is also survived by both former fathers-in-law, Ralph Wilson and John Elsner.

A visitation will be held on Monday, January 16, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Ted Dickey Funeral Home, located at 2128 18th Street Plano, Texas 75074.

The funeral service and celebration of Tony's life will be held on Tuesday, January 17, 2023, at 2:00 PM also at the Ted Dickey Funeral Home.

The funeral service on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at 2:00 PM will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend in person.

https://vimeo.com/event/2778837

Following the service, a reception to further celebration Tony's life will be held at the Ted Dickey Funeral Home reception area.

Ted Dickey Funeral Home in Plano, Texas has charge of arrangements.