Ken Arnold Odgers
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Ken Arnold Odgers, devoted husband of Florene (Gasparian) Odgers for 18 years, passed away July 12, 2022, at the age of 77.
The only child of Frank E. and Doris (Downs) Odgers, he was born in Brownwood, Texas, on January 18, 1945, three months before his father, a technical sergeant in the U.S. Army, was killed in action in World War II.
Ken graduated from Pequannock Township (N.J.) High School and earned a degree in Music Education from Ithaca College in 1966. Two years later, he married Anne Case, with whom he had two daughters, Carrie and Holly.
He was an elementary music teacher in Sparta and Green Township, N.J., public schools for more than 25 years. As president of his local teachers union, he was an advocate for the rights of both teachers and students.
Ken devoted a great deal of his time and talent to several community bands in New Jersey, highlighted by 45 years with the Franklin Band, ten as director. After moving to Georgetown, S.C. in 2018, Ken played with the Pawleys Island Concert Band and the Georgetown Theatre Orchestra. He was also a long-time volunteer for Bugles Across America, performing Taps at veterans' funerals.
In addition to his wife, Ken is survived by: a sister, Linda Bednarski and her husband, Mike; a brother, Eric Downs; daughters Carrie Odgers Lax and husband Jon, and Holly Odgers, and; grandchildren Jackson Zabransky, Aubrey Jane, Logan Szoke and Theo Jackson Norelli. He was predeceased by his parents and adoptive father, Ralph Downs.
Memorial donations may be sent to: Bugles Across America, c/o Tom Day, 1824 S. Cuyler Ave., Berwyn, IL, 60402, or online at buglesacrossamerica.org, or; to The Franklin Band, P.O. Box 16, Franklin, NJ, 07416, or; to Pawleys Island Concert Band, P.O. Box 2284, Murrells Inlet, SC, 29576, or online at pawleysislandconcertband.com