Tumwater High School - Tahlkee Yearbook (Tumwater, WA)

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There was no one more well known, more often called, or more highly respected than was Joe Odermann. His shy, congenial way of responding to appreciation after clearing up some major disaster made you want to thank him all the more, for there isn't a person about who hasn't had his locker unstuek, his wastebasket emptied, or his blinking light tube replaced by Joe. He lead an industinguished life, decorated by few laudits or laurels. Born Joseph John Odermann on June 9, 1915, in his native home of Celio, North Dakota, he received an early love of the outdoors from his father, John, a service station manager. Experiencing tradgedy early with the death of his mother, Elizabeth, the 13-year-old Joe matured into a shy, thoughtful young man blessed with a humanitarian streak. Life continued through high school, playing varsity football, graduating, becoming a logger, a dairy farmer, and, a few years later, marrying Mary in 1947. He was hired by the district as a night janitor in 1965, cleaning the MathfHome-Ee wing. His do-everything diligence earned him the position of head custodian in 1970, where he continued until May, l977g a short retirement followed, ending with his death in October of 1977. As any human being, he enjoyed many diversions: gardening was one, well as hustling friends at pool. The fact he constantly won his dog racing bets amazed everyone, including himself, yet he had a compassion for stray animals and loved them like no one else. If one had to sum up the feeling of loss T.H.S. experiences without Joe, it would be the wish that one could give him many more years in return for all his work and devotion. His was a gentle life, and although the world will continue, there will be something missing. That something is Joe's legacy. he was just superi' M. Clark ... more of a friend than a custodian. A. Ojala he was greit ind good to work with. M. Madison . . . did a lot tmorej for kids than they realize. C. Loete 1 humerous congemil man. B. Ward someone to lean on and be leaned on by. G. a good human being. C. .Johnson Cunningham . . . a kind of guy you miss very much. R. Schott 1 QI, C. 'A . f- If

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lb if' hir l ihhh hh 'V MU im Wx? 1 F eil i The Tahlkee Staff would like to give a special thanks to: h Wally Bond ll Mrs. Joe Oderman Mr. R.V.l Milligan l Greg Siebold Ralph Baar