Womack Obits
Minnesota
Compiled by Roger Womack
* indicates connections in my database
Thief River Falls -- John "Jim/J.J." Womack, 84, died Tuesday, February 15, 2000 at Altru Hospital in Grand Forks, ND.
Mass of Christian burial was held at 10 a.m. on Friday, February 18 at St. Bernard's Catholic Church in Thief River Falls with Father Dennis Wieland officiating. Kristi Lasalle was the organist, and special music was provided by the Resurrection Choir. Judy Dupree was the cantor.
Casketbearers were Richard Bjorkman, Harley Kelly, Mervin Prestebak, Bob Flynn, Jarvis Prichard, Jerry Wigness, Stan Upham and Dan Dufresne. Honorary casketbearers were Lowell Swenson, Bob Wurst, Earl Dagg, Bob Bridges, Roy Lee, Roger Tunberg, Bob Bergan, Jim McIlrath, Paul Tangquist, Warren Satre and Mike Parker. Burial was in St. Bernard's Catholic Cemetery with the Green Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.
John James Womack was born on May 21, 1915 in South St. Paul, the son of John T. and Mary "Maime" Kenton Womack. He was baptized and confirmed at St. Augustine Catholic Church and attended schools in South St. Paul, graduating in 1931. Following high school, Jim attended the University of Minnesota, graduating in 1935.
He served in the U.S. Army in the Aleutian Islands during World War II, and following his honorable discharge returned to the South Saint Paul area.
On September 27, 1947, Jim was united in marriage to Everetta Green at St. Augustine Catholic Church in South St. Paul. The couple resided in St. Paul until 1958 when they moved to Thief River Falls. Jim was an officer at Union State Bank until his retirement in 1975.
He served on the Thief River Falls City Council for two terms and also on the Northwestern Hospital board as well as the boards of several other businesses. He was a member of St. Bernard's Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus, Elks, Lions, American Legion and V.F.W.
Jim is survived by his wife, Evie; one daughter, Mary (Paul) Odden of Burnsville; two sons, John E. Womack of Longwood, FL and Robert J. (Jeanette) Womack of New York City, NY; three grandchildren; and one brother, Frank Womack of Thief River Falls.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Margaret and Catherine.
Womack Mention
* PAUL SANFORD ODDEN, Apr. 22, 1949 - Jul. 3, 2009
Paul
Sanford Odden, 60, of Burnsville and formerly of Fergus Falls, died Friday, July
3, 2009, at Regions Hospital in St. Paul.
He
was born on April 22, 1949, in Fergus Falls, to Sanford and Harriet Odden. He
was baptized at Bethany Lutheran Church in Onamia, Minn., in 1949 and was
confirmed at Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls, in 1964. The family
lived in the Onamia area from 1948 to 1951 and then moved to Fergus Falls.
Paul
attended school in Fergus Falls and graduated from Fergus Falls High School in
1967. In May of 1969 he graduated from the two-year Aviation Mechanics Course at
Thief River Area Vocational/Technical School at Thief River Falls. In 1970 Paul
enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was sent to the San Diego, Calif., Naval Air
Station for boot camp. For the rest of his time in the Navy he was stationed out
of the LeMoore, Calif., Naval Air Station just outside of LeMoore, Calif.
He
was assigned to Attack Squadron 27 that flew A7 attack/bomber jets from the
U.S.S. Enterprise, the largest aircraft carrier in the Navy at that time. He was
a jet engine mechanic, known in the Navy as a “nose picker.” While Paul was
serving in that squadron they received three awards for excellence. He served
three tours in the Tonka Gulf off Vietnam.
On
Aug. 1, 1970, he married Mary C. Womack
at St. Bernard’s Catholic Church in Thief River Falls. They moved to LeMoore,
Calif., where Paul continued to serve in the Navy. He was honorably discharged
in October 1973. He and Mary moved back to Minnesota and lived in Burnsville
since 1987. They had one daughter, Catherine (Catie) Odden, who was born Dec. 5,
1980.
Paul
attended Normandale College for two years and majored in business. He was a
professional insurance agent for more than 30 years. He was an avid fisherman,
enjoyed sailing on the St. Croix River and was a crewman on a friend’s hot air
balloon.
Paul
was preceded in death by his father, Sanford G. Odden. He is survived by his
wife, Mary; daughter, Catherine; mother, Harriet Odden of Fergus Falls; sister,
Penny Nelson of Humboldt, Iowa; brother, Richard (Rebecca) Odden of Fergus
Falls; sister, Sandra Kurtz of Fairmount, N.D.; two uncles, Clifford (Joyce)
Odden of Isle, Minn., and Stan Ruud of Kent, Wash.; five aunts: Judith Johnson
of Battle Lake, Geraldine (Wally) Bullene of Detroit Lakes, Marjorie (David)
Olson of Ortonville, Ardis Hansen of Fergus Falls, and Peggy (Nick) Fosse of
Ottertail; and nieces, nephews and friends.
Paul’s
loving friendly nature and sense of humor will be remembered by all who knew
him.
Funeral:
Friday, July 17, at 11 a.m. at White Funeral Home, 12804 Nicollet Ave. So.,
Burnsville, Minn.