SHARON SAVOIE ODEGAR
December 1, 1942 – May 14, 2026
Sharon was born and raised in Lake Charles, Louisiana. She attended St. Charles Academy Catholic School in Lake Charles grades 1-12, graduating in 1960, then attended McNeese State College, earning a 2 year degree in Secretarial Work in 1962.
Sharon then went to work for Haxthausen CPA in Lake Charles until her marriage to David Odegar in 1963. They relocated to Baton Rouge where they started their family and eventually relocated to Orange, Texas where they made their family home since 1968. Together they raised 5 children and numerous pets, both wild and domestic.
In the late 1970s, she began teaching CCD Catholic Education for several years at St Mary’s. In the early 1980s, she became interested in Transcendental Meditation and spent a number of years volunteering and working for Renaissance Seminars. In 1984, she went to work for Gulf States Utilities (Entergy).
After her retirement in 1996, she began an active career in outdoor volunteerism. Always a passionate advocate of environmental issues, animal and plant life, she devoted the last 30 years to studying, teaching, and sharing her knowledge with anyone she encountered. The organizations she helped with included Native Plant Society of Texas, Beaumont Botanical Gardens, Orange County Master Gardeners, Shangri La, Texas Master Naturalists, Big Thicket Association, Thicket of Diversity, and the Big Thicket Natural Heritage Trust.
She is predeceased by her parents, Laurent J. Savoie and Lena Elliott Savoie and 3 siblings: Jim Savoie, Shirley Savoie, and Lauren Prejean.
She is survived by her spouse, David Odegar; sister, Sally Patin; 5 children: Theresa Odegar Madden (Todd), Annette Odegar, Michelle Odegar Strah (Rodney), Victor Odegar, and Linda Odegar (Dan Caley); and 3 grandchildren: Max Madden, Sophia Madden, and Ryan Strah.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, May 21, 2026, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Orange with Reverend Sinclair Oubre officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary Catholic Cemetery in Orange. A reception will follow the burial at the San Damiano Center at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church.
Visitation will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with a Vigil at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.
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“Maxine Johnston DistinguishedService Award
The award, named for a woman who heroically pushed for creation of the Preserve, honors achievements, service, and volunteerism. The 2025 award goes to naturalist Sharon Odegar.
As a member of the Native Plant Society since 1990 and honored with the State's Benny J. Simpson Fellow of the Society Award, Sharon has served as President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Beaumont Chapter.
Through membership in Big Thicket Heritage Trust, serving over 20 years as secretary, she helped grow the Big Thicket National Preserve acreage.
As a member of the Beaumont Council of Garden Clubs since 1990, she served as President from 2001-2003. Before construction began on the Shangri La Botanical Gardens & Nature Center, Sharon identified native plants for preservation, digging and potting the original bulbs. She's volunteered at Shangri La since 2003. As a Beaumont Botanical Gardens volunteer, she raised funds and greeted visitors. She has been an active Orange County member of Texas Master Gardener since 1997. She's been a Texas Master Naturalist, Sabine-Neches chapter, since 2009.
Through countless tabling events, workshops, and presentations, Sharon has worked tirelessly to educate the public.
The Big Thicket Association recognizes Sharon's decades of service with this award.”
– Cathy Johnston for the Big Thicket Association