Dr. Eugene Richard "Dr. Gene" Odou

Dr. Eugene R. Odou
Dr. Eugene Richard Odou, M.D., 89, of Montebello, California, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, June 24, 2013 from natural causes.
Dr. Gene was born in Hettinger, North Dakota, on April 29, 1924. He was the second of three boys born to William D. Odou and Mathilda Hoen. The family moved to Montebello in 1936, where Dr. Odou attended and graduated from Montebello High School in 1942. He then attended Pasadena Community college and University of Southern California in 1948. He met and later married Bobbie Clark, a nurse, while in training at Los Angeles/ USC General Hospital in 1948/49. Dr. Gene found himself at the center of the Polio outbreak in Los Angeles in 1948. He was featured in an article in the Los Angeles Times.
After graduating, Dr. Odou served a residency in Fresno, California and then was called to duty in the Navy.
At the time, the Navy shared their physicians with the Marines, so Dr. Odou served in both branches. He earned his wings attending flight school in Pensacola Florida and became a flight surgeon. He was then assigned duty in the Philippines at Clark Naval Base and flew medical missions throughout the South Pacific region. Dr. Odou brought his wife and two small children, Carol and Robert, along with him. A third child, John, was born while they were stationed in the Philippines.
Upon his return from duty, Dr. Gene, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, and his brother, Dr. Bruce L. Odou, general surgery, opened their office - known as the Odou Medical Group, across the street from Beverly Hospital in 1957. Dr. Bruce lost his fight with colon cancer in 2006. Dr. Gene continued practicing medicine up until just last August. Dr. Odou limited his work to assisting and giving physicals at the office and Beverly Hospital over the last few years. Beverly Hospital had documented over 8,000 babies delivered by Dr. Gene.
Dr. Gene stayed busy flying airplanes, playing tennis and golf, and traveling. Over the years, he and his wife traveled extensively throughout Mexico and Central America, Europe and Asia.
He and his brother Bruce flew several mercy missions into Latin American countries bringing patients into Montebello to perform lifesaving surgeries at their own expense.
He loved to go on fishing trips to San Felipe, Mexico with friends and family.
Dr. Gene served as Chief of Staff for the Los Angeles County medical association and several terms as Chief of Staff at Beverly Hospital.
He and Bobbie were actively involved with the Montebello Sister City Association and Ashiya, Japan, hosting many student ambassadors over the years.
He also organized many fund raising activities. He regularly supported Salerni Colligium and Beverly Hospital among many others.
Dr. Gene is survived by his loving wife for 65 years, Bobbie, twelve grandchildren, sons Robert (Diane) Temecula, Ca., John (Jana) San Diego, Ca.
and Joel (Kellie), and daughter Kathleen, Montebello, Ca., and other family and friends.
Dr. Gene is preceded in death by his parents, brothers +Jim(Shirley) and +Bruce(Shirley) and his first child, +Carol(Bill).
A funeral mass is scheduled for Monday July 01,2013 at10:30 A.M. at St. Benedict's Catholic church, located at 1022 Cleveland Ave. in Montebello, California and a reception will follow at The Quiet Cannon restaurant located at 901 Via San Clemente at the Montebello Golf Course.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that donations be made to the Odou Staple Medical Student Scholarship Fund at the Keck School of Medicine of USC. Please make checks payable to the Keck School of Medicine of USC and note they are to go to the Odou Staple Medical Student Scholarship Fund. Checks can be mailed to Molly Gervais, Keck School of Medicine, 1975 Zonal Ave, KAM 300, Los Angeles, CA 90033.