James Harold Odom

James Harold Odom of Farmington, Ark., departed this earth for his heavenly home on May 20, 2014, to be reunited with our Lord. He was born May 30, 1935, a son of Willie and Pauline Odom in Cass County, Texas. James graduated from Arkansas High School in 1954, where he excelled in football and basketball and occasionally in academics. His athletic prowess set many state records of that era. He attended Hardin Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, on a football and basketball scholarship from 1954 to 1955. Afterwards, James decided to continue his athletic career in the Navy and was stationed among several west coast bases, but primarily Moffett Field in Mountain View, Calif. There James added baseball to his sports achievement and was one of the more prolific pitchers in the Armed Services. James and Sylvia Metts married in 1959 in Texarkana, Ark., and resided there off and on until 1999 when they moved to Farmington, two miles from the home of the Razorbacks. There he was able to follow his passion rooting for his favorite team and had season tickets to every sporting event. Although he never achieved this award in school, he was honored for his perfect attendance at Razorback sporting events. He was an avid member of the Swatter's Club, supporting Razorback baseball where he was named fan of the year in 2012. James' career spanned 25 years with Greyhound Bus Lines. He was elected vice president of the Amalgamated Transit Union where he supported members of 13 states in the central U.S. He retired in 1991 and founded his own travel agency, Jo/An Tours. There he mixed the experiences from his driving career with his passion for traveling and meeting and entertaining people. He was a former member of Beech Street Baptist Church of Texarkana, Ark., and a longtime member of Cross Church of Springdale, Ark. James was preceded in death by his parents; nephew, Chris Phillips; and niece, Lisa Phillips. He is survived by his loving wife and caretaker of 55 years, Sylvia Metts Odom of Farmington, Ark.; sisters, Joyce Thompson and her husband, Bobby, of Summerville, Texas, Margaret Phillips of Dallas, Texas; brothers, Travis Odom and his wife, Dona, of Texarkana, Ark., Eddie Odom and his wife, Mary, of Carrollton, Texas, Tim Odom and his wife, Sharon, of Collinsville, Okla.; brothers/sisters-in-law, Athel Metts and his wife, Mary Lou, of North Oaks, Minn., David "Buddy" Metts and his wife, Mary Hellen, of Midland, Texas; son, Tony Odom of San Jose, Calif.; daughter, Niki Slinkard and her husband, Cliff, of Hogeye, Ark.; grandchildren, Nicolas Slinkard, Samantha Odom, Savannah Slinkard, Jessica, Taylor and Lou Odom. With too many stories to share in writing, the family invites you to join them to share memories and reminisce. Visitation will be 7-8:30 p.m. Friday, May 23, 2014, at the Texarkana Funeral Home, 4801 Parkway Drive, Texarkana, AR 71854. Funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Texarkana Funeral Home, officiated by James' brother, Tim Odom, and lifelong friend, Bob Lee of Wichita Falls, Texas. Interment will follow at East Memorial Gardens in Texarkana. In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request donations to the Washington Regional Hospice, 34 W. Colt Square, Suite 1, Fayetteville AR 72703; or the charity of your choice. The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the Cardiac Unit of the Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville, Ark., as well as special caretaker, Lorena Galvez of Fayetteville, Ark. If there were only three words that could describe James Odom, "He loved People." Online registration is at www.texarkanafuneralhome.com.