Winston Paschal Odom

Winston Paschal Odom, 86, longtime resident of Big Spring, passed away Monday, February 20, 2023 in Midland. The family will receive friends from 5:00 pm until 7:00 pm Thursday, February 23, 2023 at the Nalley-Pickle & Welch Rosewood Chapel. The family will have a Meet & Greet from 9:30 AM until 10:30 AM Friday, February 24, 2023 at the First Presbyterian Church prior to the 10:30 am funeral service. Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Park.

Paschal grew up in Big Spring and graduated from BSHS in 1954. He was a proud member of the State Steer Football team of 1953. TAMU was his next stop, graduating with a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1958.

The Western Company hired Paschal following graduation and he began a two-year journey throughout West Texas and New Mexico. In 1960, he was hired by CRMWD and began a 22-year career helping provide water to West Texas. Paschal always had an adventurous heart and made the decision to take a leap of faith accepting a job with Bechtel Engineering Co. in Jubail, Saudi Arabia, in 1982, beginning 18 years of travel and challenging projects. Paschal and Lucy lived in Jubail for a 3-year contract building a desalinization system for a new city of Jubail, enjoying all the extras living overseas allowed. They travelled and saw many beautiful and amazing places. At the end of his contract, they returned to Big Spring and Paschal started a consulting business. Bechtel called him back to Jubail returning to the same project, for the next three years. Bechtel recognized Paschal’s talents and sent him to numerous projects across the US including NYC helping renovating JFK Airport, Houston working at the Port Authority, Cape Canaveral building the Mars Observer Launch Pad, San Diego building a 96” pipeline through a granite mountain, Victorville building another pipeline through the high desert. He retired from Bechtel, and was soon hired by Black & Veatch Construction Engineering Co. as a trouble shooter. Paschal travelled to jobs in South Dakota, Tennessee, Minnesota, and South Carolina with Black & Veatch.

He subsequently retired and returned home to Big Spring to begin a lifetime of community involvement and service. One of his favorite “jobs” was helping with the Big Spring Festival of Lights for many years. Big Spring Hang Gliding was another of his fun jobs every August. Paschal served as an Elder at First Presbyterian Church numerous terms, plus was often involved with different upkeeping issues at the church, plus served on the Airport Board many years. Currently he was serving on the Big Spring EDC. In 2014, Paschal was chosen as Big Spring Man of the Year. One of his early passions was SCUBA diving, especially the yearly trips to Guaymas, MX and several dives in the Red Sea; he taught an unknown number of people to dive at the YMCA. He loved to snow ski and waterski. He taught many of Jill and Jack’s friends to ski at Lake Thomas. And all will remember that no one could go home until the boat was cleaned of the red water from the lake. Paschal loved his family and friends, especially his three granddaughters.

Paschal is survived by his wife of 65 years, Lucy Odom, daughter Jill Spannaus (Mark), son Jack Odom (Susan), granddaughters Lindsay Sawyer (Travis), Carrie Spannaus (Tyler), and Jessica Odom, great-grandsons Weston & William Henthorn and Clyde Sawyer and great-granddaughter Georgia Sawyer. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers James Roy and Harold, and daughter-in-law Laura Odom.

Donations can be made to First Presbyterian Church Big Spring, Heritage Museum, or Howard County A & M Club Scholarship.

Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home and Crematory. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com

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