Obituary of Gerald O'Dell

Gerald Lloyd O'Dell, 75, of Dowagiac, Michigan passed away at Lakeland Community Hospital in Niles, Michigan following an illness. Gerald was born on October 15, 1933 in Green Bay, Wisconsin to the late Carl and Mabel (Brown) O'Dell. He is survived by his wife Joanne Gorniak of Dowagiac, Michigan, a son, Mike (Mei-Ling) O'Dell of Mundelein, Illinois, two granddaughters, Caitlyn and Eugenia of Chicago, his stepdaughter, Becky (Jim) Mollet of Green Bay, Wisconsin, two step granddaughters and Joanne's children, Laurinda (Art) Marin (Gorniak), Thomas (Mary), Gorniak, and Timothy (Kathy) Gorniak and 13 of Joanne's grandchildren. Gerald is also survived by two brothers, Kenneth (Joyce) O'Dell and Patrick (Dolly) O'Dell both of Green Bay, Wisconsin and a sister Karen (Dennis) DeMuth also of Green Bay. Gerald is preceded in death by his parents, two brothers Bud O'Dell and Glen O'Dell and two sisters Dorthee Soldner, Jeanne Huser. His hobbies included reading and he was an avid reader of military history, watching birds in the yard, and was a big fan of the Green Bay Packers. He also enjoyed attending the reunions for the U.S.S Cone Association. He was known by those closest to him as "Digger O'Dell".