The Rev. William H. O’Dell, Jr.

Grafton – The Rev. William “Billy” H. O’Dell, Jr., 87, of Grafton, NY, went home to be with The Lord on Wednesday morning, May 15, 2013, following a lengthy illness. Born and raised in Grafton, he was the son of the late William H. and Eudella Weeden O’Dell. Billy attended the Grafton one room schoolhouse and Berlin High School. Following school, he worked with his father in the family logging and sawmill business.
When Billy was 13 years of age, he received Christ as his personal Savior and was later “called” to The Gospel Ministry while in the family business. Following ‘the call,’ he enrolled in the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, graduating three years later. He then served as the joint pastor of the Alps Baptist and West Stephentown Baptist Churches for ten years before being called to the Grafton Baptist Church where he served for 50 years. Twelve of those years he joint pastored with the Stephentown Center Church. Pastor O’Dell served the people of Grafton and surrounding areas, regardless of church affiliation, being on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
He also had a business of building houses and was a master carpenter, teaching many young men the trade over the years.
Bill is survived by his wife, Astrid Marie Ring O’Dell, a son, David and wife Kathy O’Dell of Marshfield, MO, two daughters, Deborah and husband David French of Rindge, NH, and Ingrid and husband John Baudy of Grafton, two sisters, Lucy O’Dell and Mary and husband Bob Smith, all of Hoosick Falls, and brothers, Jared and wife Catherine O’Dell, Theron and wife Betsy O’Dell and Bill “Quidge” and Doris Quidgeon, all of Grafton, nine grandchildren, Seth, Shea and Saul O’Dell of MO, Kara Nero, David and Isaac French and Erik, Mark and Chad Baudy, and 20 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by a sister, Dawn Claus.
Friends are invited and may call at the Grafton Baptist Church, 11 Owen Road, Grafton, on Friday, May 17, from 3 to 8 pm. The funeral service will be held on Saturday morning at 9 am with the Rev. Jason White, Pastor, officiating. Interment will be in the Grafton Cemetery.
The family requests that those desiring make contributions, in lieu of flowers, in memory of The Rev. William H. O’Dell, Jr. to the Grafton Baptist Church, P.O. Box 26, Grafton, NY, 12082.
Funeral arrangements have been entrusted by the family to the Morris – Stebbins – Miner & Sanvidge Funeral Home, 312 Hoosick Street, Troy.