Margaret Kathleen Combs Odum

Margaret Kathleen Combs Odum ABINGDON, Va. Margaret Kathleen Combs Odum, 87, devoted mother, grandmother, aunt and friend, passed away Wednesday, Nov. 3, 2010, in Wellmont Hospice House in Bristol Tennessee. She was born Feb. 26, 1923, in Washington County, Va., and was a daughter of the late John Thomas and Martha Washington Pendleton Combs. She had held various positions of employment including working at a shell plant during World War II, working for years at the telephone company and eventually retiring from the Washington County School System. She was a member of the Abingdon First Church of God. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Meredith L. Odum; brothers, Shelby Smith Combs and Guy Edwards Combs; sister, Essie Maude Minnick; and niece, Peggy Thayer. Survivors are her daughter and son-in-law, Lisa and Steve Cardwell; grandsons, "the light of her life", Cory Cardwell and Trevor Cardwell and wife, Rachel; her "same as daughters", Mary Jane and Vickie Hay; and son, Kingston; her special telephone buddies, Bessie Lee Kestner, Kay Hunt, Ethel Hannah, Hope Thompson, Pat Price, and Ann Muldoon; nieces, Nancy Gray and husband, Eddie, Betsy Warden and husband, Alan and Cindy Shaffer and husband, Russell; nephew, Tommy Combs and wife, Susan; and many dear friends. The family would also like to extend a special thanks to Wellmont Hospice House and Kathy Neace for their special care and kindness. Funeral services will be conducted at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 5, 2010, in the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral Service with Pastor Bob Neace and Pastor Rodney Arnold officiating. The family will receive friends at Farris Funeral Service from 6 until 7:45 p.m. Friday. Committal services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, at Forest Hills Memory Gardens with David "Roho" Lowe, Bryan Muldoon, Hank Odum, Brian Odum, Josh Odum, Crow Clark, Eddie Gray , Jay Clark and Danny Muldoon serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Steve Nerren, Timmy Arnold, Harold Odum Jr., Leroy Lowe, Harold Hannah, Steve Fulton, Gerald Thompson, Roland Roe, Jonathan Kelly, Bob Rice, Buddy Clark, Mark Gray, Bradley Thayer Arvin Dixon, Paul Douglas Odum, Mark Odum and Larry Odum. Those wishing to go in procession to the graveside service are asked to be assembled at Farris Funeral Service by 12:30 p.m. Saturday. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Those wishing to express sympathy online may do so by visiting www.farrifuneralservice.com and signing the online guestbook. Arrangements for Mrs.Odum are under the care of Farris Funeral Service, 427 East Main St., Abingdon, VA.