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On Saturday October 11, we lost a great man of service. Not a member of the military, not a police man, not a fireman, not a member of congress. In the twenty-five plus years I remember of William Odis Capehart he served God first and his fellow man second.

Most of us remember some or all of his twenty-seven years of service as “Mr. Odis the Texaco man.” Some of us remember his forty plus years as a Sunday school teacher at the Navarro and Corsicana Assembly of God churches. Some of us remember him as a member of the Gideon Organization, which distributes Bibles and small testaments to hospitals, hotels, motels and at one time, even schools and collages. Some of us remember him as a loving, caring family member.

William Odis Capehart has gone on to join his family now. Many family members including his wife of fifty-three years in 1986, his oldest son, Charles, the same year and his youngest son, Chester in 1987, preceded him in death. Two sisters, Hazel Capehart and Cleo Herndon Capehart and one brother, Rev. Jimmie Capehart, survive him. He will also be remembered by his four grand children, eight great grand children, one great great grand child and many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and extended family members.

William Odis Capehart operated his service station on South seventh-street, which was considered the “black” or “poor” side of town. He never treated anyone from the eastside any different then the westside. I would estimate ninety percent of his business was from that “black” and “poor” community yet he gave a lot of people credit by name only. Many of them, he never even had an address for. Some of them carried this line of credit through generations and paid faithfully.

I remember once when he preached at a local church one Sunday. The following day he had concrete steps put on that church because he believed the current ones were unsafe.

William Odis Capehart impressed me by the way he lived, I never heard an ill word come from him about anyone. I never heard a curse word come from him during all his years of labor in the hot Texas sun. In return, I never heard an ill word spoken about him and I myself learned to be thankful for what has been given to me and to make the best of my situation. My name is Jeffery Odis Capehart and I am proud to call him granddaddy. I am proud to carry on his name. I am proud of the life he lived and I pray that God will give me the strength, humility and wisdom to be half the man that he was.

On Saturday October 11, God came down to earth and quietly spoke to William Odis Capehart, “Well done my good and faithful servant.

Jeffery Odis Capehart
October 20, 2003