Alice Virginia Odean, 87, of North Platte, NE passed away on Monday, July 30, 2012, at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte.
Alice was born the youngest of five children on the family farm south of Hershey, NE on November 27, 1924, to Jacob ‘Jack’ and Olivia Christine Spindanger Haugland. When she was two years old her mother died and Jack married Bessie Overmier and the family grew to seven. They made their home on Jack’s farm where she grew up. Alice attended country school at District 137 through the 8th grade and then went to Hershey High School where she graduated with the class of 1942. After graduating she worked at the North Platte Bakery and in the office of O’Connor’s Dime Store.
At the age of 18, Alice married Ollie Severt Odean on March 3, 1943, in Ogallala, NE. They lived in Hershey where they owned and operated Ollie’s Market for 5 years then sold the store and moved to California. Ollie worked construction for two years before returning to Nebraska. In 1953 they moved to North Platte where Alice worked in the office at Memorial Hospital then Great Plains Regional Medical Center. She later went to work for Dr. Charles Heider Jr.
During her younger years, Alice was active in 4-H and had a Grand Champion calf. She had been a member of the First Christian Church since April 21, 1957, and served as a diaconate. Alice enjoyed helping her son at the funeral home and taking care of her grandson, Brad Boslau, in Lincoln. She was very faithful at visiting family and friends in nursing homes.
Alice is survived by her children, Olinda (Byron) Boslau, of Lincoln, NE and Rick (Rosemary ‘Dodie’) Odean, of North Platte; her grandsons, Josh (Heather) Odean, of Charlotte, NC, Greg Odean (special friend, Robin Barrett) and Brad Boslau, all of Lincoln; two great-grandchildren, Kylan and Emerson Odean, of Charlotte, NC; a sister, Sigrid Wimberly, and brother-in-law, George ‘Bunk’ (Lavughan) Odean, all of North Platte; and many nieces, nephews and other family.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Ollie, in 1995; her parents, Jack and Olivia Haugland; her stepmother, Bessie Overmier Haugland Geiken Jackson; a brother, Theadore Haugland; and four sisters, Olga Moorhead, Agnes VanPelt, Nellie Rickett and Berdeen Olson.
Funeral service will be 10:00 am Saturday, August 4, 2012, at the First Christian Church with Pastor Timothy Adams officiating. Burial will follow in the North Platte Cemetery. Visitation will be 8:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday and Friday with family greeting friends from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Friday at Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore. Condolences may be shared at odeanchapel.com with Odean Colonial Chapel At C & Sycamore in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the First Christian Church, the Nebraska Special Olympics or the Shriner’s Children Transportation Fund.