Bette Jane Odell

Her strength, humor, devotion to family and willingness to help others shined through in the love and kindness she shared with all. A true inspiration to our family, we are grateful for everything she taught and shared with us, and for all the years we had with her (no matter how long, it’s never truly enough.)

Bette was born on October 3, 1928 in Louisville, KY. She attended Valley High School in Valley Station, KY. She worked as a telephone operator at Bell Telephone to put herself through Nurses’ training at Kentucky Baptist Hospital. After graduating from Kentucky Baptist in May of 1954 and completing her Civil Service exam, she began working as a nurse at Ft. Knox. She later used that experience to open the first Surgical Recovery room at Kentucky Baptist Hospital. She also worked at Sts. Mary & Elizabeth Hospital as a nurse on the surgical floors.

She met her beloved husband, Richard E. Odell, and they wed in April, 1954. They started a family that eventually grew to four children, Sharon Whitmore (and her husband, Brent), Diane Odell (and her husband, Rod Crozier), Timothy Odell (and his wife, Pamela) and Martha Smith (and her husband, John).

The family lived in Shively, KY and attended Shively Christian Church. As the family grew, they moved to Buechel, KY where they were founding members and attended Southeast Christian Church, until their transfer to Maryland in 1970, following Richard’s work with General Electric.

Bette became the Head Nurse at Silver Cross Domiciliary Care Home in Baltimore until that facility closed, and then opened the first Lorien Nursing Home in Columbia, Maryland as Director of Nursing. Following the death of her husband, Bette worked at the Maryland School for the Deaf, Columbia Campus, until her retirement in 1988. She enjoyed traveling locally and around the world as a trip leader for Howard County Dept. of Parks and Rec. and Collette Tours. Bette remained an active member of Bethany United Methodist Church, and was an avid swimmer at the Howard Co. YMCA and a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She loved sewing, ceramics, square dancing, stained glass and volunteering at the Treasure Sale.

Bette was predeceased by her husband, Richard, her sister, Joyce Kilgore and her daughter-in-law, Pamela Dachille Odell. She is survived by her four children, seven grandchildren Shannon Lander (and her husband, Jeffery), Sarah Ludeker (and her husband, Keith), Timothy and Anna Odell and James, Abigail and Jessica Smith and three great grandchildren, Allison and Christopher Lander and Tenley Ludeker.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, January 9, 2022 from 12:30pm - 3pm at Evergreen Funeral Home, 4623 Preston Hwy, Louisville, KY 40213. Bette will be laid to rest at Evergreen Cemetery in Louisville, Ky.

A memorial service will be held at Charlestown Chapel, 715 Maiden Choice Lane, Catonsville, MD 21228 on Saturday, April 2nd at 11AM. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Bethany United Methodist Church Chapel (Bethany UMC Chapel), 2875 Bethany Lane, Ellicott City, MD 21042 or the charity of your choice benefiting children.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.sterlingashtonschwabwitzke.com for the Odell family.