Michael Odoms

Michael Anthony Odoms was born to Emmett and Barbara Ruth Odoms on September 25, 1957 in Denver, CO. He was the middle child and only boy having an older sister Sue and younger sister, Debbie. Michael lived his entire life in Denver attending Smith and Stedman Elementary, Hamilton Middle School, and he graduated from George Washington High School in 1975. He was extremely loyal to his family and friends. If you were his friend, you were a friend for life. He was always a quiet person, very level-headed, and responsible. He started working at 13 and was the first in his group of friends to have a job and get a car.

In 1974, Michael met Lahonda Franklin, the love of his life. She was the yin to his yang; the loud to his quiet. They welcomed a son, Lavaughn, on July 18, 1977, were married on October 11, 1977, and welcomed their second and last son, Marcus, on June 13, 1982. Michael was a dedicated father and husband who provided well for his family, working for Owens-Corning for over 40 years. He created the tradition of Saturday dinners to make sure he spent time with his family, especially his sons. That tradition continued up until the pandemic made it impossible. Outside of his beautiful little family, Michael loved his parents, his sister Debbie and his brother-in-law, Jody, and would have anything for them; they knew they could always depend on him.

Michael was extremely proud of his sons. Two of the proudest moments of his life were when he sent his eldest son, Lavaughn, to the Marines, and his youngest son, Marcus, to the Army. Both grew up to be good men, great husbands, and dedicated fathers emulating the man who showed them how to do it.

Michael also loved to travel. With his wife, he went on cruises to the Mediterranean, the Caribbean, and the British Isles. They explored Europe and the United States together and made many trips to see their grand-kids in Arizona. In September of 2013, Michael was diagnosed with kidney cancer. He took the cancer to task and was deemed cancer-free just a few months later. He remained in remission as he was determined to be there for his family and spend time with his grandchildren, one of his favorite things to do. He was a man of few words; when he spoke, people would listen. His words and his time were valuable. He believed in the words “until death do us part”; he loved and cared for his wife until his dying day, November 22, 2020.

Michael leaves behind to cherish his memory his wife, Lahonda, and sons LaVaughn (Mekelle) and Marcus (Kim); his mother, Barbara Ruth, and sisters Sue and Debbie; grandchildren Malachi, Zalia, Anniah, and Nathaniel; and his doggie, Gadget; as well as a wealth of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and friends. He was preceded in death by his father Emmett Odoms and his dog, Gizmo, as well as other aunts, uncles, and family members.