VENITA’S STORY, AS JIM SEARS PUT IT TOGETHER:

--Venita Carroll married her first husband, Albert Hartson (June 1, 1897 – September 7, 1973), in 1927 or 1928.

--Hartson's occupation in the 1930 Census was given as "manager, Texas Co. F." The U.S. National Guard Register for 1922 lists Albert J. Hartson as a 1st Lieutenant in Texas Company E. In 1925 he is listed again as a 1st Lieutenant. His regiment is "Special Division Troops" and his company is "36 Sig Co — Denison." That considerable military service (at least eight years, 1922–30) apparently qualified him for his subsequent career in the Denison Police Department.

--Venita teaches at Hyde Park Elementary, 1933

--Albert is listed in the 1938 City Directory as a city patrolman. By 1940, he had been promoted to city detective.

--Venita is listed in 1938 and 1940 directories as a teacher. In 1938, they were still living at 515 North Burnett, her mother’s home. (Venita's father, John T. Carroll, had died in 1937.)

--Venita has Tony Giarraputo, retired confectioner, to make her traditional candy can for Col. Robert L. Cox, Christmas 1944.

--The next City Directory, 1946, lists Venita Hartson still at the same address. Albert, however, is missing. Apparently they divorced between 1940 and 1946. In 1946, Venita was still a teacher. For the first time, her school was identified in the directories as "Central School."

--The Social Security Death Index lists Van Horn in Culberson County as Albert's last address of record, but the Texas Death Index says he actually died in McLennan County. There is or was a big VA hospital in Waco. He may have gone there from Van Horn for treatment of his last illness. The Texas Death Index says he was single when he died on September 7, 1973.

--By 1949 Venita had been promoted to principal at Raynal School. She is listed there again in 1951. Her name is still Venita Hartson.

--By the time I (Jim) started first grade in 1957, Venita Hartson had become Venita O’Dell, having married Otha O’Dell, a railroad employee born in Grayson County in 1897. They obviously married sometime between 1951 and 1957. It was the second marriage for him, too.

--Venita may have finally moved out of her mother's house after she married Otha. [The 1955 and 1959 phone books list Otha O’Dell (sic) at 1029 East Texas Street.]

--Venita died shortly before Christmas in 1965 at age 62. Otha lived until 1980, but they may have been divorced before she died. The Grayson County Death Index lists her as "Single."

--If they did divorce, she may have moved back to 515 North Burnett (assuming she moved out when they married) before she died. (I don't have a directory or phone book to check that.)

--Venita Hartson O’Dell is buried in Fairview Cemetery. Otha O’Dell is not listed in Fairview's records among those interred.

THE FIRE

“I heard years ago that Mrs. O’Dell died in a fire.” Jim Sears spoke hesitantly. “I have been reluctant to say so, because my memory plays tricks on me sometimes. For instance, I thought I remembered that she spelled her last name ‘Odell,’ but it turns out that she actually spelled it with an apostrophe and a capital D—‘O'Dell.’”

Steve Armstrong knew for sure, though: “Mrs. O'Dell died in a house fire the night before we were to have our Christmas parties at Raynal in 1965. Raynal closed one day early for Christmas vacation because of her death. I was in the third grade at the time. The presents that the kids drew names for the parties were exchanged in January, after returning to school. There used to be a portrait of Mrs. O'Dell over the entrance to the cafeteria. Mrs. O'Dell loved purple, all right—Raynal's school colors were purple and white. I still have a purple Raynal pennant.”

Kay Clark had an idea: “Perhaps Brenda O’Dell (who graduated from DHS in 1960) would be able to answer some of these questions. I believe they were related but may be mistaken. Her father, Pierce O’Dell, built many of the homes in the Hyde Park area. Brenda lives in Houston ... Mr. and Mrs. O’Dell were awesome. Very welcoming and kind.”

Pat Barnhill reported next: “I had a visit with Mr. O'Dell's niece tonight. Mr. and Mrs. O’Dell lived on East Texas Street. Mrs. Nolte and Mrs. O'Dell were wrapping Christmas presents. Not sure if Mrs. Nolte lived there with them or if she was just spending the night. All went to bed and woke up to a burning house. Mrs. O'Dell called the Fire Department and said she was right behind them, but she never came out of the house. She was not burned in the fire; she died of smoke inhalation. The fire was ruled accidental from an ashtray being dumped in trash with wrapping paper. I didn't meet Mr. O'Dell till after this had happened. He was a very nice man.”