Odell Bowles

Odell Bowles passed peacefully from this life and into the arms of his loving Heavenly Father on March 26, 2018. Odell was born on February 9, 1924 in Ozark, Arkansas. He was the seventh child of Elvis and Susan (Susie) Bowles. His family moved to Texas in June of 1929 and settled near Sanger. When Odell was 18 years old, he went to work on a dairy in Coppell Texas with his brother Dennis and brother in law, Roy Gray. There he met and worked with Robert Huddleston, the father of Ressie Huddleston. Unbeknownst to them both, they would soon be related. Odell met Ressie shortly after that and they were married three months after their first meeting. He and Ressie had 5 children and were married 67 years until her death on July 31, 2010.

Odell was drafted into the Army Air Corps in 1945 and served until 1947. After the war, he worked various jobs before going to work in 1953 for General Motors in Arlington, Texas and retired after 28 years. He was ordained as a Baptist preacher in the late 1950's and was Pastor of several churches over the years. He loved the Lord and would eagerly talk to anyone and everyone about God and all that He had done for him. His greatest passion was serving the Lord and he was faithful in his service in what ever way he could be until the end. He always wanted to be active and on the go and after losing his ability to drive, he could be seen riding around Grapevine on his motorized bicycle. When he wasn't on the go, his favorite pastimes were fishing, gardening and spending time with his grandchildren.

Odell was preceded in death by his parents, Elvis and Susan(Howe) Bowles, his wife Ressie, his daughter, Annette (1979), his son Robert (2017) and all of his siblings. He is survived by his sons Odell (Buddy) Bowles of Justin, Paul Bowles and wife Martha of Grapevine and daughter Paula Venable and husband Ronnie of Grapevine.

He leaves behind a legacy of 10 grandchildren, Terrie Hagood(Tony), Michael Hawkins(Cindy), Pamela Smith, Patricia Graves(Denis),Buddy Hal Bowles, Heather Bowles(Chris), Michelle Weston(Craig), Brian Dunn(Maria), Andrew Dunn(Elizabeth) and Daniel Dunn(Rachel); two step grandchildren, Amanda Williams(Brent) and Ryan Venable; 23 Great grandchildren and 22 Great, Great grandchildren. He was loved and revered by his nieces and nephews and will be greatly missed by those that knew and loved him and were a very special part of his life.