President’s Page

I was born in Pampa, Texas in the year 1964 to Wayne and Phyllis Powell the second of four children. I was raised in Borger, Texas where my family has lived for more than seventy years.  My Odom connection is my great-grandmother Mary Melissa Odom who died in 1944. I posted a query to an Odom genealogy website in 1996 asking if anyone had any information on Mary Odom Powell who was the daughter of Archie Odom from Cherokee County, Texas.  A gentleman from Palestine, Texas emailed me the very next day by the name of Jimmy Ray Odom.  Jimmy Ray invited me to his home where I met his beautiful wife Kathy and his cousins, Bill and Dorothy Bruce.  They took me to the Odom cabin in Cherokee County built by Randol Odom and his sons.  It was an experience of a lifetime and one I will never forget.  Seventeen years later I attended my first NOA Reunion in Nacogdoches, Texas in 2013 and I haven’t missed one since.  I always have a great time and enjoy everyone’s company.  I am looking forward to Murfreesboro and confident that it will be an amazing experience. My Odom line is as follows: Malachi Odom > Randol Odom > Archie Odom > Mary Melissa Odom > Henry Powell > Wayne Powell > Danny Powell.