Barbara O'Dell, 79,, has passed away, leaving behind a family and community who loved her dearly.
These are the contours of a life that meant a great deal to many.
Barbara's story began in 1944, in Hammond Indiana and as a small child moved to Fontana, California, and unfolded across the years that followed.
Some legacies are not written; they walk the earth, named after those who came before.
Barbara O'Dell, 79 of Parker, died Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at the Centerville Nursing Home. Barbara was born on July 30th, 1944, to Roland and Ora Tremella Hutchinson. She was born in Hammond Indiana and as a small child moved to Fontana, California. Barbara married Arthur O'Dell on February 9th, 1985, in Yucca Valley, California. They spent 30 years in Yucca Valley before moving to South Dakota in the summer of 2015. Barbara was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She cherished her time spent with family. Barbara very much enjoyed genealogy and dedicated her life to researching her ancestry or the ancestry of anyone she met. She also had a huge heart for animals. This passion led her to rescue abused and neglected dogs and horses, which at one time earned her the nickname "Deputy Horse". Arthur never knew if he would have a new horse upon returning home from work, but it made Barbara happy. Grateful for sharing her life are her husband, Arthur O'Dell of Parker, SD; children, Carlene Nieto of Simi Valley, CA, Raymond Morrow of Joshua Tree, CA, Brenda Bracha (Shannon) of Rexford, MT, step-son, Robert O'Dell of Parker, SD; her grandchildren; her great-grandchildren; one brother, Doug Hutchinson (Linda) of Redlands, CA; her Great Dane, Cricket; one horse, Faith; and one pony, Simba. Barbara was preceded in death by her parents, Roland "Hutch" Hutchinson and Ora Tremella Hutchinson.
