John Dowling Odom Welding Scholarship Fund

My dad, John Dowling Odom, was a brilliant man. He had an unstable childhood, grew up in poverty, often sleeping in barns, and was never given opportunities to succeed. He began teaching himself to weld in his early adult life, and was able to begin working in shipyards where he eventually was promoted to foreman. Later, he was able to start up his own business, where his talent shown through, and his honesty and caring nature stood out to the community. He used his welding skills to work on forestry equipment, as well as his passion for restoring vintage vehicles. He loved what he did, and he continued working until he was 80 years old.