Georgia ‘Odessa’ Moffat
She displayed the perfect mixture of independence and self-sacrificing love.
Odessa Moffat learned to stand on her own from a very young age. She was raised to be a woman of strength, never the victim.
She knew her strength came from facing the everyday battles life handed her in the strength she found in her personal relationship with God.
Even though she wasn’t a grandmother until the age of 74, the way she loved her grandkids is an example all grandmothers can aspire to. The grandkids looked forward to their weekly day with Grandma Odessa.
Her hugs felt like a warm winter coat, her cooking was comforting and was evidenced by clean plates, full tummies and happy faces.
She was a master of children’s board games: Sorry, Candy Land, Chutes and Ladders, Monopoly and The Game of Life.
To Odessa, life was not a game, but she sure had a lot of fun living it. She loved to read books that strengthened her faith in God as well as a good murder mystery.
She owned a fabric store for several years and was thrilled to help ladies learn how to sew.
She taught Sunday School for many years, making a lifelong impact on many people. For a time, she was a church secretary and you know they hear all the “good stories,” but she guarded that information as if it were her own.
She knew gossip was a fire that burns others and is difficult to extinguish.
She played a primary role in writing the history book of Canadian County.
She drove her own car until she was 90 and lived independently until she was 100 years old.
Georgia Odessa (Mann) Moffat, known to others as “Odessa,” lived 105 years on this earth before trading everything in for her new body and address in heaven on Oct. 10, 2021.
She was born on Jan. 11, 1916, in Tiffin, Mo., to George and Elsie Mann.
She began school at age 5 and graduated eighth grade when she was 11.
She began high school at the age of 20 and graduated valedictorian four years later.
She continued her education by earning her teaching certificate, then taught for one year in Rockville, Mo.
She moved to Wichita, Kan., where she worked as a church secretary. It wasn’t long until she transferred to Enid, taking another job as church secretary.
This is where she met and married the love of her life, Jim Moffat, on Sept. 6, 1953.
The two settled in on Jim’s family farm in Piedmont where she was a faithful member and volunteer at the Piedmont United Methodist Church.
She also volunteered as the local 4-H club leader.
In 1983, she was awarded the Diana Award by the local Zeta Rho Chapter of the Epsilon Sigma Alpha Sorority for unselfish community involvement and inspiring qualities of love, faith and courage.
Odessa was also a board member of The Canadian County Historical Society.
Odessa was preceded in death by her husband Jim, parents George and Elsie, along with her three brothers, her sister and grandson, Cody Poage.
Odessa was mother to four children, James, Eloise, Wade and Carol, who are present today.
There are grandchildren living who vividly remember the games they played with Odessa: JD Moffat of Broomfield, Colo., Jacob Moffat and his wife Taylor of The Village, Tyler Moffat and his wife Hanna of Piedmont, Kevin Poage and his wife Laura of Birmingham, Ala., Annaliese Moffat of Mustang, Emily Strantz and her husband Adam of Hamilton, Ohio, and Melissa Diehl and her husband Adam of Washington, D.C.
And Odessa also leaves behind great-grandchildren Reid Douglas Moffat of Piedmont, Oliver Strantz of Hamilton, Ohio, and Malcom and Ethan Diehl of Washington, D.C.
She also is survived by her sister, Elsie Eileen Johnson, along with many nieces and nephews.
The family expresses deep gratitude to the Baptist Village Retirement Center and the Good Shepherd Hospice for the compassionate care they provided.
Visitation for Odessa will be held 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 14, at Ingram, Smith & Turner Mortuary in Yukon.
Her service will be 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 15, at the Piedmont United Methodist Church with burial to follow at the Mathewson Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Canadian County Historical Society or the Piedmont United Methodist Church.