June 19, 1924 - January 13, 2025
After an active life of 100 years and 7 months, Wanda Jane O’Dell, born June 19, 1924, in Audrain
County, MO, died on January 13, 2025, at Spring Ridge Park in Wheat Ridge, CO. Born to Ronald
Edward and Mary Louisa (Pendleton) Willcoxon, she had two younger brothers, Rev. Wayne Willcoxon,
who lived to the age of 94, and James Donald Willcoxon, who died as a young child. Wanda grew up in
Missouri, graduating from Jefferson City High School in 1943.
She met and married William G. “Bill” O’Dell in Borger, Texas, on June 29, 1946. Wanda and Bill had
one son and three daughters: Billy “Bill” (Sheryl) O’Dell of Arvada, CO; Mary (Vernon) Egger of Decatur,
GA; Debra Gentry of Yukon, OK; and Helen Wilson of Richmond Hill, GA.
Wanda was preceded in death by her parents, brothers, and, in 2009, by her beloved husband. She is
survived by her 4 children; 11 grandchildren: Jobie (Jann) Nudo, Josh (Alex) O’Dell, Jenny (Brian)
Chapman, Krista Egger, Keely (Dave) Farkas, Julie (Juan) Arqueta, Jack (Ashley) O’Dell, Rachel (Sean)
Kelly, Paige (Shawn) Box, Ben Cleveland, and Andy O’Dell; 23 great-grandchildren: Makayla (Braden)
Chapman, Maddie (Chandler) Ospina, and Drew and Eli Nudo; Loretta, Milly, and Nolan O’Dell; Kian
and Olive Chapman; Benji and Emmitt Farkas; Olin and Calli Arqueta; Rucker, Henrie, and Mable O’Dell;
Quinn Kelly; Gabe Vogan, Gracie Box, and Liz and Becca Sundquist; Channing and Chloe Cleveland; and
1 great-great-grandchild: Violet Chapman. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews; and the
Marantica family whom she adopted as her own: Linda Marantica of Houston, TX; Linda’s 3 children:
Ida, Mark, and Philip; and their families.
Wanda moved to Kansas with her husband in 1948 where they worked to establish and lead Southern
Baptist churches in Lawrence, Wichita, Kansas City, Burden, and Arkansas City. She was always an
active church member, playing the piano or organ for services, singing in choirs, providing special
music and church music directors’ training, leading women’s groups and girls’ auxiliaries, and helping
with vacation Bible schools and summer camps.
Wanda earned an associate’s degree in music at Southwest Baptist College in Bolivar, MO, and
completed a B.S. in Education at Pittsburg State Teacher’s College of Kansas. She taught music and
kindergarten in Kansas schools through 1974. After an early retirement and move to Enid, OK, in 1974,
she was a founding member of Garland Road Baptist Church, began researching family genealogy, and
began quilting. She was a member of the Crazy Quilters of El Dorado after moving to El Dorado, KS, in
2009.
Wanda was a master of all types of needlework. She was an accomplished seamstress and had an
absolute passion for quilting. She made and gave away hundreds of quilts, many hand-pieced and
hand-quilted and others machine constructed, well into her 90s.
At the age of 90, Wanda moved to Eastpoint, FL, where she was an active member of Eastpoint Baptist
Church. Always ready for a new adventure, in 2018 she moved to Denver, CO, and in June 2024,
Wanda’s family and friends celebrated her 100 th birthday with her in Westminster, CO.
An interment of ashes ceremony will be held at Enid Cemetery, Enid, OK (date yet to be determined).
Arrangements are being handled by Henninger-Hinson Funeral Home of Enid. Memorial contributions
may be made in Wanda’s name to Garland Road Baptist Church, Enid, OK, or to Eastpoint Baptist
