Longtime Paonia resident Kodie O'Bannon passed away Thursday, March 7, 2013, at The Eagle Ridge of Grand Valley skilled nursing facility in Grand Junction. She was 93 years old.
Kodie was born to Richard Johnson Lloyd and Cora Isabell Dodds on June 4, 1919, in Price, Utah. She moved to southern Utah when she was young and spent most of her childhood years in Parowan, graduating from Parowan High School. Kodie worked as a telephone operator for the Parowan Cooperative Telephone Company until the age of 20 when she went to Idaho Falls to stay with her sister, Mary, and to attend college. Mom attended the Glen E. Clark Business College in Idaho Falls.
In 1948 while Kodie was working as a Crystal Radio Operator for the Bureau of Reclamation in Boulder City, Nevada, she met F. William "Bill" O'Bannon via the Radio while he was surveying on the Colorado River. They were married on Oct. 29, 1948. Their story was featured on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. Kodie and Bill were married 57 years before his passing in December of 2005. They had three children, Steve (Kathi) O'Bannon of Caldwell, Idaho; Michael (Nancy) O'Bannon of Grand Junction, Colo.; and Candace (Rich) Schultz of West Jordan, Utah. From these three offspring there are 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Mom would look at the pictures of the children and grandchildren and say "We started all that?" Mom was a wonderful mother and much adored by her grandchildren! She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, two sisters and her husband. She was the last of her generation.
Bill and Kodie lived in Needles, Calif., and Ehrenberg, Ariz., for a number of years after their marriage. During her time there, she worked as a bookkeeper, drove a school bus, and was the Postmaster. Bill grew up in Paonia and when he had an opportunity to transfer to the Bureau of Reclamation in Montrose, he and Kodie moved their family to Paonia in 1961, to be closer to Bill's family. Mom knew that once Bill had moved up onto "his hill," she was never going to get him to leave again! Kodie spent many, many hours in their beautiful orchards and gardens. Their apple cider was the best!
While in Paonia Kodie was active in the Pitkin Mesa Club, PTA, Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and was an Election Judge for many years. She was a lifelong member of the Democratic Party and member of the Jane Jeffersons. She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and held many callings in her Church, including being the Genealogy Librarian for many years, teaching Seminary for the teenagers, serving in the Young Women's Organization both in her local ward and stake. She was a prolific genealogist and loved digging through old microfiche and books. Upon her passing she left many filing cabinets and boxes filled with Family Group Sheets and information.
Kodie loved exploring the West with her husband Bill, camping, fishing, fly fishing and boating. She loved crafts of all kinds, sewing, ceramics and canning. She was a prolific reader. She taught us all that we got our education from school, but learned about life from the Library!
Services in celebration of Kodie's life will be held on Saturday, March 16, at 10 a.m. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 511 Oak Avenue in Paonia. Friends may call beginning at 9 a.m. Interment will be at Cedar Hill Cemetery withTaylor Funeral Service handling the arrangements. Please view the Internet memorial and sign the online guest registry at taylorfuneralservice.com
In lieu of flowers and to help keep her love of reading alive for everyone, please feel free to donate to the Paonia Public Library in the name of Kodie O'Bannon.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Taylor Funeral Service and Crematory.
View the Internet obituary and sign the online guest registry at taylorfuneralservice.com
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