Sondra Kay Odekirk

Sondra (Sandi) Kay Odekirk
February 8, 1934 – April 3, 2017
Sandi (Mrs. O. to many), was born in Enid, Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. She grew up in Sweetwater, Texas and said, " y'all " all of her life. When she was a teenager, she moved with her parents to Burbank, California. She graduated from Burbank High School in 1952 and continued her education at Glendale Community College.

It was there that she met her future husband, Ron Odekirk, who was taking classes during his off-season from playing in the minor leagues for the New York Yankees. Later in his life he admitted that he wanted to impress "that hot chick" so much that he ran for Class President. He won the school election and also won the girl. They were happily married for more than 61 years.

Amongst her accomplishments, she spent time as a flight attendant for American Airlines before becoming the most loving wife and mother the world has ever known. She was always fashionable and the only thing she loved more than shopping was her family. One year she won an award, presented by the Glendale City Council, for being the best-dressed woman in Glendale. She proudly displayed that silver engraved plaque for many years in our Glendale home, a home which was warm and welcome to everyone.

Our home was always filled with pets – dogs, ducks, mice, and school carnival goldfish. But the deepest memories of the home she and my father created were the number of family and friends who visited so frequently. Most every weekend our home was filled with Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Grandparents, neighbors, and acquaintances who were visiting, sharing the delicious meals my mother was famous for, and enjoying time spent together. She made every holiday a special occasion and everyone was invited.

The thing I marveled most about my mother, though, was how naturally she made friends wherever she went. She would occasionally hob nob with the local bigwigs wherever she lived, but the people who considered her to be a true friend were people like the cashiers at the local supermarkets (literally ALL of them), hair dressers, and the ladies who worked the make-up counter at Robinson's.

Whether she was called Sandi, Aunt Sandi, San, Mrs. O., Sissie, Sis, Grammy, Gracky, or MOM, she was the best person I've ever known at showering, and receiving, an overabundance of love. I'm going to miss my mom.

Mom called the shots in our home, but she didn't have a choice but to be a baseball fan. (She and my father attended the first game ever played in Dodger Stadium, and the seats that she sat in that day are still in our family's name.) Like most of us, she was a huge fan of the great philosopher of our time, Vin Scully. The sentiment that he shared at his final game sums up her journey perfectly: "Don't be sad that it's over, be glad that it happened."
- Jeff Odekirk