Carol O. Moser

CAROL LOUISE ODENDAHL MOSER passed away on October 14, 2010 in Cypress, Texas. She and her husband, James H. Moser ("Jim") were proud parents of four children: Ellen, Sara, Jeffry survive and Laura (deceased). All told, Carol and Jim have been blessed with twelve grandchildren and three great grandchildren, all of whom will sorely miss her.

Carol was born in Hanna, Wyoming on April 6, 1930 to Ernest Ralph Odendahl and Letha Myers Odendahl. Carol was predeceased by her sister, Vera June, and her brother, Neal. Her surviving brother Leon also mourns her loss. As a child, Carol's family lived in Oak Creek, Colorado for a time, then the Odendahl family moved to Vallejo, California. (Father Ernest was an electrician at the US Naval Shipyard during World War II.) After a short stay there, the family moved to Sonoma, California, which had much better family living conditions. There, Carol attended Sonoma Valley Union High School, and graduated as the valedictorian of her class. She also met a fellow studied, Jim Moser there. After their formal educations were completed, they were married on June 21, 1950, in Dragerton, Utah, where her Odendahl family was then residing. After a honeymoon in Glacier National Park, they drove their 1935 Dodge coupe' to Corvallis, Oregon, where Jim pursued his further education in chemistry and allied subjects at Oregon State University. Carol contributed fiscal support by working as a full time, old style "plug 'em and pull 'em" switchboard operator for Bell telephone.

After Jim completed his graduate studies, he was employed as a chemist by Shell Oil Company, first working in Martinez, California. Their three daughters, Ellen Margaret (b. 1954), Sara Lynne (1956), and Laura Louise (1959 - 1979) were born there. Shortly after Laura was born, Shell transferred Jim and family to the Houston, Texas area, making their home in Pasadena, just east of Houston. In 1965, their son, Jeffry Howard, was welcomed into the world. Carol joined the local Sweet Adelines vocal choir which sings a Capella four part "barbershop harmony"(of which she was a Chapter President) and in its Overtones Quartet. She also was able to use her knowledge and love of music in church. She directed the choir for Faith Presbyterian Church, where she was also honored by being elected to the church's governing body. During these years of raising her family, she sewed most of her daughters' clothes and was a well-respected seamstress for the community. She routinely planned the yearly family vacations, and was an expert at primitive camping.In 1976, the family moved northwest of Houston to the Ravensway subdivision in Cypress where they lived for the next 20 years. Carol became the publisher of the Ravensway subdivision newsletter as well as starting the Ravensway Women's Tennis League. She continued sewing as well as tatting, knitting, crocheting, embroidering birth samplers as well as making Christmas stockings for all of her grandchildren, and played tennis competitively.

Carol started research on genealogical family trees (before the Internet existed), mainly for the Odendahls and Mosers, back to the year 1300! Carol had discovered that many published family trees were erroneous. So, to find, verify and accumulate correct data, Jim and Carol traveled to many county courthouses and related graveyards in northeastern USA as well as Canada to find good genealogical information.

The Moser's had become members of the Windwood Presbyterian church, where again Carol had been active on the governing board. One day, the church pastor asked her to develop a handbell choir. Having no experience with this, she educated herself on the subject by attending handbell ringing schools and functions. Then, it was quite a challenge to recruit and teach the volunteer church members how to play handbells. Under Carol's guidance, the Church handbell choir grew in capability from playing simple one bell per ringer songs for one octave, to songs which required the skills to play over four octaves with multiple bells per player! She managed and directed the handbell choir until mid 2009 when her illness precluded participation in all musical activities. Consequently, the whole church body celebrated her work and accomplishments by means of very special functions as well as much recognition, such as speeches and gifts.

In the year 1995, the Moser family moved into their new "custom built" home in Longwood Village, which is about three miles north of Ravensway. Carol took a very large part in the choosing of the new home's construction options, inside and outside. Mostly, she selected and managed its interior finishing and furnishing. She also played tennis in the Longwood Village league for as long as possible.

Above all, Carol Odendahl Moser was a loving and devoted wife, and a gracious mother to her children; she was a truly amazing woman! We, the family, will miss her sorely. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Memorial Oaks Funeral Home at 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston, Texas, telephone 281- 497-2210. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, at 12:30 pm on October 21, at the same funeral home, followed by interment there.