Richard “Digger” O’Dell, 89, of Arnold died Dec. 31, 2019, at his home. Mr. O’Dell was born in Detroit, Mich., the son of the late William and Anna (Evans) O’Dell. He moved to St. Louis in his teens and went to Cleveland High School, where he met his future wife. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served two tours of duty in Korea as a medic. He was on the front lines with the team known as the Pied Pipers that searched for the causes of Korean Hemorrhagic Fever. Back home, he went to work for Union Electric as a
lineman/troubleshooter. He was very active in his children's schools, Girl Scouts
and Boy Scouts, and was a member of the Elks, the American Legion and the NRA, and served three terms as Commander of VFW Post 2184. He loved the outdoors and was an enthusiastic hunter and fisherman all over the US and Canada. He also enjoyed the O’Dell family farm, where both cattle and hay was raised, and where pig roasts were hosted.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years: Catherine M. (Baehr) O'Dell; four children: Barbara (Daniel) Bates, William (Pam) O'Dell, Richard S. (Karen) O'Dell and Timothy O'Dell; six grandchildren: Chrissy (Peter) Stern, Adrienne (Aaron) McCallister, Shawn O'Dell, Brandon (Barbara) O'Dell, Shane O'Dell and Cody O'Dell; and four great-grandchildren: Seth Stern, Chrystian O'Dell, Maddison O'Dell and Marshall McCallister.
He was preceded in death by two brothers and a sister.
Visitation is scheduled from 2-8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9, at Hoffmeister South County Chapel, 1515 Lemay Ferry Road, in south St. Louis County. Visitation is at 10 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 10, at the funeral home. A
committal service with full military honors will follow at the National Cemetery at Jefferson Barracks. Memorials may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, Finance Dept., 30 East 33rd St., New York, NY 10016. Arrangements are under the direction of Hoffmeister South County Chapel.