Clinton Brice Odell

Clint Odell was born on March 10, 1933. He was preceded in death by his parents, Allan and Grace Odell; his brothers, George and Allan; his wife of 66 years, Carol; and his sons, Bradley and Clinton.

Clint graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1955 with a degree in Business through the Air Force ROTC program. During his college summers, he worked at the family business, Burma-Vita Company, founded by his grandfather and known for its iconic Burma-Shave roadside signs—years that provided many stories he loved to share. He claimed to have earned his “PhD” while working there: Post Hole Digger!

Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in January 1956, Clint completed flight training and earned his wings flying both propeller and jet aircraft. At Williams Air Force Base in Arizona, he trained in the F-86F jet and survived a dramatic 12-spin incident during an instructor flight, earning the nickname “12-Spin Odell”. He concluded his active duty in December 1958 and later attained the rank of Captain in the inactive reserves.

In 1956, Clint married Carol. Following his military service, he began a career with Cargill, which took the family to St. Louis, Missouri; Westfield, New Jersey; and eventually back to Edina, Minnesota in 1969. He worked his way up the ranks in the company to lead as the President of Cargo Carriers, Inc (Cargill’s Transportation/Barge Line). In retirement, Clint and Carol enjoyed their homes on the shores of Lake Superior and in Edina.

Clint loved boating and passed that passion on to his son. He treasured sunny summer weekends in Minnesota taking his boys golfing and enjoyed time fishing in Canada and Alaska. He was an avid reader and a Civil War history buff. A lifelong Episcopalian, he remained active in church throughout his life.

In the summer of 2023, Clint moved to the Atlanta area to be closer to Jeff, Karen, and the grandchildren, where they created many meaningful memories. The move allowed him to spend more time trying to beat his grandchildren in spirited games of Gin Rummy and enjoy many family adventures together. Clint loved new experiences as he traveled to New Zealand at age 90 to visit his grandmother’s place of birth and see the incredible vistas. Over Thanksgiving 2025, he brought the family together for a Caribbean cruise and joined in a cooking class in the mountains of Dominica to learn the proper method of making jerked chicken!

Clint is survived by his son, Jeff (Karen), and his three grandchildren: Ansley, Evan, and Marissa. He will be remembered for his courage, devotion to family, wonderful storytelling, love of history, generosity, and the steady strength, faith, and integrity that defined his life.

A service celebrating his life will be held at St. David's Episcopal Church in Roswell on February 28 at 11am. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. David’s in Clint’s name.

Clint’s presence will be missed in all our lives, but his memories will continue to make us smile and treasure the time we all had together for years to come.