My Memories Of
You
Our Brother
Odell Douglas Parrish
Photo made in 1995 at Saltillo, Tennessee
June 22, 1945-January 19, 1997
Our brother, Odell had the most precious laugh. He always knew how to make everyone laugh and was quiet willing to do the job. The smile you see on his face was genuine. He loved everyone
and was soft hearted and kind.
Odell was born in the Spring Creek/Mousetail area of Perry County, Tennessee. He was the oldest of our crew. Somewhere along the line before I can remember I tagged my older siblings with
nicknames. Odell was Big Buba, Joe Dell was little Buba, Bonnie was big Sissy and Brenda little Sissy.
Odell can't come out and play. Made about 1957
I am sorry to say I have only a few memories of Odell as a child. Before I was born when Odell was six years old he became very sick. He woke up for school and began crying saying he didn't
feel well. Mom thought because he didn't have a fever that he just didn't want to go to school. Later that day his fever suddenly rose so high he went into convulsions. It turned out he had an ear infection. The infection settled in the
bone of his hip and caused it to crumble like sand. Odell spent most of his childhood and youth in Memphis Children's Hospital with only doctors and nurses to tuck him in at night.
 
Odell Parrish, September 1957 |
Joe Dell & Odell, September 1958 |
After Mom died in 1991, I was sorting through her personal items and ran across my grandmother Howell's purse. I put it in Mom's cedar chest. Years later my daughters and I were looking
through the items in the cedar chest. We pulled out grandma's purse and was looking through it. Neatly folded and placed in the bottom of her purse was a letter Odell wrote her when he was a child. I thought the date was 1952 but my
daughter said it is 1957. Grandmother could not read or write but she kept this letter with her all of her life.
I remember when I was very small going to the hospital. The hospital rules would not allow me to visit so my older brother and sisters took turns staying with me in the car and playing with
me outside the hospital. At one point I remember Joe Dell coming outside and pointing up the hospital where Odell was. It seemed the building was so tall it touched the sky. I could see someone waving. It looked like a tiny bird waving
it's wing.
Odell in body cast at Grandma Howell's |
January 1963 |
Sometimes Odell would get to come home for a while. At times he was on crutches others in a body cast. When Odell was in a body cast he would make model cars and let me play with them or he
would make balloon animals for me. When he wanted to workout his arms I would become his barbells. I would lay across him with my body stiff and he would place one hand behind my neck and one behind my knees then he raised me up and down
like I was a barbell. Well for a few minutes until I started giggling. I never remember a time when Odell was home that he seemed angry. He was always laughing or just very quiet.
I guess I thought I knew him just because he was my brother but I didn't. When our father had surgery in about 1989 Odell and I sat up at the hospital one night. Daddy slept all night and
Odell and I talked all night. I always felt close to him and loved him but that night when no one else was around we spent time really talking. I felt I bonded with him in that one night more than I had my whole life. I will cherish that
night all my life and wish I had more time with him.
Odell laughing at me trying to get his picture:)
Always with us, Our Brother!
Continue to meet Odell's wonderful wife & family.
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