HR1363 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1363 LRB094 20858 HSS 59259 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the House of Representatives of the State of Illinois learned with regret of the death of Reathel M. Odum on June 6, 2006; and

WHEREAS, She was the daughter of Thomas Brittain Odum and Myrtle Powell Odum; she graduated from Benton High School in 1926; and

WHEREAS, After high school, she worked for Marion Hart at the Franklin County Title Company in Benton; she then worked for the First National Bank of Benton during the Great Depression until 1933; she also worked for the First National Bank in East St. Louis and was an assistant to the president of the Federal Reserve Bank in St. Louis; and

WHEREAS, She served as secretary for U.S. Senator Harry S. Truman of Missouri in his Washington, D.C., office; she continued to work for Mr. Truman while he was Vice President, taking dictation and typing his speeches; one of her many duties included showing various family members around Washington when they came to visit; and

WHEREAS, She became very close with the Truman family and would babysit for their daughter, Margaret Truman; she and Margaret remained lifelong friends; and

WHEREAS, Miss Odum went on to serve as personal assistant for Bess Truman and then Secretary to the First Lady; she lived with the Trumans, first in the Blair House and then in the White House; she worked for the Trumans from 1936 to 1953; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Reathel M. Odum has been deeply felt by many, especially her nephew, Richard 0. Hart; her niece, Susan McGannon; her great-nephews, Murphy C. Hart and Paul R. Hart; she was preceded in death by her brothers, Orville Odum, Kenneth Odum, and Clarence Odum; and her sister, Pauline Davis; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Reathel M. Odum, and we extend our sincere condolences to her family, friends, and all who knew and loved her; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to her family as an expression of our deepest sympathy.