Obituary of Odell Joseph Sias

Odell Joseph Sias was born on July 12, 1944 in Opelousas, Louisiana. He was the second of 7 children born to Walter Sias and Lillian Jackson Sias. His father worked as a yard man in Louisiana and his mother was a house-wife. Odell attended school and graduated from Xavier HS in 1962. He worked in the fields picking cotton and was caddy until he enlisted in the US Army in 1962 and served in Vietnam, Korea, and Germany. Please click on the link below to watch video tribute: http://videos.lifetributes.com/?id=8477 After completing his first tour of duty, Odell re-upped and joined the US Army. In 1971, he was stationed in Korea at Camp Casey near Tongduchon, known as TDC. He was a cook and worked in Food Service. There he met Yong Cha Bae who worked as a waitress in the officers club. She spoke very little English and her cousin would translate for her. Their romance blossomed and they were married on September 23, 1973 in the Camp Casey Base Chapel. In November, they moved to Fort Polk in Louisiana where Odell was stationed. Their daughter Patricia Ann Sias was born there on December 18, 1975. Odell was reassigned to Germany where he served for nearly a year. Yong and Patricia remained in Opelousas while he was in Germany. Yong learned English from her sister in-law (Beverly) while Odell was in Germany. When he returned from Germany he was stationed at Fort Stewart, near Savannah, Georgia. Their second daughter Jennifer Marie Sias was born on June 13, 1980. When Odell was assigned to another tour of duty in Germany, the family lived in Giessen, Germany for 3 years near the ADA (Air Defense Artillery) Base. After that assignment, Odell was stationed at Fort Ord in California. On August 31, 1985, SFC Odell Sias retired from the US Army having served for 22 years and 5 months. During this time, Jennifer was diagnosed with Leukemia. The medical staff recommended that the family move to Tacoma, Washington to be near the new Madigan Medical Center being constructed at Fort Lewis. The medical staff was highly qualified to treat leukemia patients. The family moved to Tacoma and into their home on “J” street. They chose that house because it had a nice yard for the girls. For several months, Odell applied for jobs as a cook. He was hired by the Washington State Department of Corrections (DOC) and was assigned to The Washington State Penitentiary at Walla Walla. Odell took the job and commuted home on weekends to be with his family. He had an apartment in Walla Walla and drove his VW Rabbit back and forth on weekends. When Patricia and Jennifer were on summer break from school, the family stayed with hi in Walla Walla for several weeks at a time. Their third daughter Katey Helen Sias was born on September 24, 1986 in Tacoma, Washington. Odell served as the cook at the Washington State Reformatory at Monroe for 4 years and 6 years at the Washington Correction Center at Shelton. He then worked at the McNeil Island Correction Center for 9 years until he retired in 2004 with 19 years of service for the Washington State Department of Corrections. His daughters attended schools in Tacoma. Patricia graduated from Foss HS in 1994 and Jennifer graduated in 1998. Katey attended Foss HS as well. Yong went to work at the commissary at Fort Lewis. She was a member of the Korean Catholic Church and attended worship and prayers each week. Odell had a small stroke at work in April 2000 without realizing it until the next day. After his rehabilitation, he fully recovered and soon returned to work at McNeil Island. In August, 2004, he had a second stroke and after treatment he retired at home. He recovered and was able to do many things including a trip back to Louisiana for the funeral of his brother. He enjoyed his first grandson from Patricia. Trevornne Antonio Sias was born on October 18, 1997. Patricia married Marcus Omar Harris (2/19/1978) and they had a son Jamari Mekhi Harris who was born on April 21, 2003. He was proud of his daughters and their accomplishments. Patricia works for Health System Innovations and Jennifer works for NPN and attends the University of Washington at Tacoma. Katey left her job in Federal Way to assist in the care of her dad. In January, he was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. He was in Madigan Medical Center for his health care and radiation treatments. He was back home on February 13. Katey moved back home to assist her mother in the continued care of her dad. On Easter Sunday, he went to the Franciscan Hospice House. His wife Yong and his daughters were with him continually until he quietly passed away early on Tuesday morning, April 10 (2007). Odell loved his wife and daughters more than anything. He worked hard to provide for them and gave them everything they needed and desired. He enjoyed cooking, washing the cars, and working in his yard. He looked forward to all of the special days, holidays and birthdays when the family was together for food and fun. When he was working in the prison institutions, he made many friends among the staff and the inmates in the prisons. They had a great respect for him and how he worked with them everyday. He was a kind and generous man who assisted his family and friends. He will be loved and remembered by Yong, his beloved wife of 33 years; his daughter: Patricia and her husband Marcus and their two sons: TreVonne and Jamari; his daughter Jennifer; his daughter Katey; his sister Beverly Sias Narcisse (Opelousas, LA), many nieces and nephews, relatives, and his many friends and neighbors. Preceding him in death were his parents Lillian and Walther Sias and his sisters Veronica Kennerson, Jacqueline Sias, and brothers Calvin Sias, Creighton Sias, and Retell Sias. He was buried at New Tacoma Cemetery with military honors. Arrangements by Edwards Memorial Center 253-566-1008