Odessia was born February 4, 1943 in Marianna, Arkansas to Louis and Mary (Banks) Gray. She finished school in Mississippi before moving to Helena, Arkansas. From Helena she moved to Snow Lake, Arkansas before settling in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Odessia loved being around her big family and sharing time with them. She was always telling jokes, laughing and wanted others to be happy, too. Most of all, she wanted to see her children, grand, and great grandchildren excelling. She has been a “mother” to so many including her church family and others in the community. Ma was known for baking and cooking with love and she was always taking care of others. She loved multiple genres of music including Blues, R&B, and Gospel. Odessia enjoyed going to garage sales, quilting and fishing as well.
Odessia was preceded in death by two husbands James Beeley, married from 1965-1968 and Archie Lee Spearman, married 1985-1995.
She is also preceded in death by her siblings Louis Gardner, Louis “L.T.” Gray, Peggy Lucky Gray, Bobby Gray, Jessie Mae Gardner, Ruth Miller, Ollie Garner Wheaten, Dorothy Gray Blakely, and Queen Esther Gray.
She leaves to cherish her memory her loving children Odessia Cahon, Kathy Carter, Tammy Calhoun, Dewarren Cook, Andra S. Sims, Iddle Spearman all of Oklahoma City, stepdaughter Helean Spearman of West Helena, Arkansas, Mary Gray of Oklahoma City; sibling Mary Frances Gray and Roger Craig Sr. of Helena, Arkansas; 20 grandchildren; 15 great grandchildren; 4 great great grandchildren; 22 nieces; 12 nephews and her fur baby Tigger.
She did not have favorites but she did adore Lashonda Calhoun, Jamie Jackson, Travis Carter Jr., Ava Patrice Calhoun, Levine Gray, Jackie Gray and Ruby Wheaton, Little Dewarren Cook, Jimmie Wright and Shantae Craig. The family wants to thank you for the joy that you brought into her life and the laughter that you all shared together.
Visitation will be at the funeral home on Friday, November 3rd from 4 pm-8 pm. A service to celebrate Odessia’s home going will be Saturday, November 4th at Chapel Hill Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Interment will follow in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.
