Charles Dale Odom Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Charles ‘Dale’ Odom, 74, died on May 28, 2022, at home in Nānākuli, Hawaii. He was born on February 29,1948, in Plant City, Florida. Dale grew up in Donalsonville, Georgia, with his parents Lamar and Jeanette Odom until their marriage ended. When he lived in Florida with his mom, he worked selling magazine subscriptions until he landed a job at Tampa Radio Sales where he learned to repair TVs and radios as a teenager. He also worked on his dad’s farm when he stayed in Georgia. Then he joined the Navy and became a signalman. Dale married Shirley after returning from the Navy, and they had a son named Charles Dale Jr. while he was working as a commercial painter. After Charles Dale Jr. died accidentally, his marriage ended then he left Florida to start a new life working as an industrial painter in Wyoming during the mid to late 1970’s, painting smokestacks, power plants and bridges, transitioning his skill set to industrial painting. Dale was especially skilled in preparing the structural surfaces that required durable layers of paint to withstand the harsh conditions of an industrial environment. He was hired by paint companies throughout the nation offering him top dollar for his expertise. Dale got remarried to Thelma when he moved to Wyoming, and they lived in Wheatland with their three children; Angela, Erric, and Charles until their marriage came to an end. He continuously worked on the road while visiting his family in between jobs and whenever he could. Dale eventually came to work in Hawaii to paint the Aloha Stadium. He rented a home in Makaha, along with his fellow co-workers and dear friends, Lorren and Nancy Delaney. His son Erric also came to live with him, and Charles would visit during the summer. Dale's career steered him back towards the mainland again, although he returned to Hawaii to work on the Hakalau and Umauma bridges located on the Hakalau coast of the Big Island. Dale met his future wife Kehau in Hilo. He subsequently moved to Renton, Washington, working on the Seattle Space NeedIe. After that, he started working at the I-5 bridge where he lived in the town of Hazel Dell, Vancouver, Washington, where Kehau, and her two sons, Kauanoe and Kahikina moved from Hawaii to be with him. Charles came to live with his dad, and Erric and his family; Yvonne, CJ, and Allie, also left Wyoming to work on the I-5 bridge beside his dad. Dale finally married Kehau at the Vancouver Board of Water Supply alongside the Columbia River, uniting his blended family. Kehau and her sons moved back to Hawaii in the summer where they waited for Dale to finish up at the I-5 bridge. He returned to Hawaii in September and they welcomed their newborn daughter Janae in November 2000. Then Dale went to work on a bridge in Northern California in the town of Taft. His career path kept him away from home intermittently until he joined the Hawaii Painters Union Local 1791, working as a supervisor at Zelinsky Painting at various sites on Oahu, Kauai, and the Big Island. In 2008, Dale retired as a Journeyman Industrial Painter, after working well over 40 years. His final days were spent resting at home. Dale was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who always provided for his family. He will be dearly missed and loved always. He is survived by his wife, Kehau, his son, Charles, his daughters; Angela and Janae, his stepsons; Kauanoe and Kahikina, his ten grandchildren; Michael, Chardea, Andre, CJ, Alabama, Seth, Dalelamar, Riley, Rory, and Levania, his two great-grandchildren; Jocelyn and Freyja, his brothers; Leroy, Anthony, and Steve, his sister Diane, and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Dale’s final wishes were for his ashes to be scattered into the Pacific Ocean fronting his home.

Charles Dale Odom

February 29, 1948 - May 28, 2022