Odessa McNeil

Odessa McNeil was born February 6, 1923, in Timmonsville (Florence County) South Carolina to the late Daniel McNeil and Lillie Eaddy McNeil. She departed this life on Saturday, February 17, 2024, at the age of 101 at Ascension Carroll Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. She was the youngest of eleven children.

Odessa was raised by her parents to honor the Lord and attended St. Luke United Methodist church with her parents and siblings.

As a young woman, she worked in Florence, SC performing domestic work until she returned home to the farm in the early sixties to take care of her aging mother. She devoted years to caring for her mother until her mother’s death in 1976. One of her favorite Bible verses was “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you” (Exodus 20:12).

After her mother’s death, Odessa moved to Washington DC in 1978. She accepted a position with DC General Hospital as a home health care worker and worked on this job until her retirement in the early nineties.

Prior to her illness, Odessa was an honest and direct woman with a quiet and reserved spirit and a heart of compassion towards others. She showed empathy towards the homebound patients that she served. She enjoyed cooking, gardening, shopping, plays, and going to restaurants. She especially enjoyed the birthday luncheon celebrations with her daughters and grandchildren. She cherished the time that she spent with family and friends.

In addition to her parents, she was proceeded in death by two of her children: Thomas McNeil and Maxine McNeil. She was also proceeded in death by three siblings that passed away as children, her sisters: Leola (Furtee) Quillens, Lillian B. (Jerry) Davis, Daisy (Bee) Allen and her brothers: Chester (Arizona) McNeil, Voice (Odel) McNeil, Meadow McNeil, and Aldridge McNeil.

She is survived by two daughters Diane (Ron) Carthorn and Deborah (Anthony) Burke; her grandchildren, Tara (Chris) Davis, Brionna Diane Burke, Joshua Anthony Burke and Daniel Emmanuel Burke and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family would like to thank her health care professionals, Amber – home health care services and all the members of the Ascension Carroll Manor team, who not only served their mother with excellent care, but became a warm and supportive extended family to her and her daughters.