Obituary of Harold C. O'Dell

HAROLD C. O'DELL COCOA BEACH Harold C. ""Digger"" O'Dell, age 81, of Cocoa Beach, passed away March 2. He was born December 4, 1927 in Liberty, Missouri, the son of the late Edith Cosby O'Dell and Charles O'Dell. Digger was a 50 year resident of Cocoa Beach. After serving in the U.S. Army, he began working at Cape Canaveral in 1959 on the Atlas missile. He worked on the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo-Soyuz, and Space Shuttle programs. He also spent one year working on the B-1 Bomber at Edwards AFB in California. Mr. O'Dell enjoyed his children's competitive swimming careers and was very active in U.S. Swimming. After retiring from the Space Center, he was active in the Civil Air Patrol. He built an RV-6 airplane ""Digger's Airplane"" in his garage. Digger is survived by his wife of 46 years, Marlene Shumway O'Dell, daughters Lisa O'Dell Rapuano (Rich) and Andrea O'Dell (Randy Befumo), both of Baltimore, son Rick O'Dell of Cocoa Beach, sisters Janice O'Dell of New York City, Charlene Kelly of St. Louis, Missouri, Sharon Chambers of Durango, Colorado, brother Kenny O'Dell of Flagstaff, Arizona. He has five gorgeous grandchildren: Nate, Abby and Lily Rapuano and Will and Ian O'Dell. Services will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, March 7, 2009 at Beckman-Williamson Funeral Home at 101 North Brevard Avenue in Cocoa Beach. Additionally, the family invites guests and visitors for an open house at their home on Friday, March 6, 2009 from 5:00-7:00 PM. You may sign Digger's guestbook at www.beckmanwilliamson.com.