Odom
Funeral Services for Mrs. Clara Bell Lockhart Penton Odom will be at 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 26 at St. Rest B.C. with the Rev. B. J. Martin officiating. Interment will follow at the Sheppard Street Cemetery.
Clara Bell Lockhart, better known as CB was born on May 16, 1928 to the late Clara Bell Rice and William Amos Lockhart. She was the fifth child of 11 children.
At an early age she accepted Christ and became a member of Mt. Comfort Baptist Church. As an adult, she became a member of St. Rest Baptist Church where she remained an active and faithful member until illness no longer allowed her to attend. CB loved attending her Sunday school class and listening to Deacon Don Pope Sr. sing.
In her younger days, she married Willie Jim Penton and to this union one child was born. Years later, she united in matrimony to Wilbur Dale Odom Sr. This union was blessed with two sons.
CB received her cosmetology license and later become an instructor and manager of Ruthie’s Beauty School. She was a beautician for over fifty years. CB was one of the first beauticians to offer her customers hair weaves and Jheri curls. She was a member of the Minden Beauticians and Barbers Chapter #88.
CB and her husband were entrepreneurs. They were among the first black owners and operators of a beauty supply store in Minden. They also owned and operated a beauty salon and Nu Nu’s BBQ Cafe. She also worked for a short time at the Louisiana Army Ammunition Plant.
CB was a vibrant and fun loving person. She never met a stranger. CB opened her home and heart to many. When visiting her home, one could always receive a good home cooked meal. She loved life and enjoyed it to the fullest.
CB received her heavenly wings on Dec. 18, 2015 after a lengthy illness. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Wilbur Dale Odom Sr., son, Jimmy Cal Penton, great grand daughter, Zoeii Lee, four sisters, and three brothers.
She leaves a surviving legacy of three sons, Vernel (Alfreda) Odom, Santa Monica, California; Wilbur (Crevonne) Odom, Shreveport; Brainard (Toni) Odom, Sibley; one daughter, Joyce Daniels, Las Vegas, Nevada; one daughter in law, Delia Penton, Minden; three sisters, Gloria Green, Christola Walton, and Vernell (Joe) O’Neal, all of Minden; one brother in law, Pat Washington, Dallas, Texas; 11 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren, 2 great-great-grandchildren and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be held Thursday, Dec. 24 from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. in Kennon’s Mortuary Chapel.
Email condolences may be sent to kennonsmortuary@suddenlink.net.