b. February 25, 1929
by Ann Victoria Harris Bustard, Christ Episcopal Church, New Bern, NC, 2016
Barbara Ann Stephens Odderstol
Barbara was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Grand Canyon Village, Arizona. A cradle Episcopalian, Barbara was baptized at Grand Canyon Village by the Bishop of St. Louis, William Scarlett. At age thirteen, Barbara attended Wasatch Academy, a college preparatory boarding high school In Mt. Pleasant, Utah. She received a BA in education from the University of Arizona and a masters in administration and supervision in education from Rutgers University.
In 1951 Barbara married Thomas Christian Odderstol, VII, shortly after Tom graduated from West Point. He served in the United States Army during the Korean War and entered private business thereafter. Because Tom’s business career sent him many places, Barbara has been a member of at least ten churches.
In 1994 Barbara and Tom moved to New Bern to retire and she immediately became involved in many activities. She helped to start Stephen Ministry at Christ Church and to found Merci Clinic – a facility to supply medical care for indigents – and Matthew 25 – a tutoring program for struggling Middle School students. She has served as president of the Christ Church Episcopal Church Women.
Barbara served as a teacher and administrator in public schools for 26 years. She also taught on the adjunct faculty at Seton Hall University. In New Bern she began another educational endeavor teaching remedial education at Craven Community College for fifteen years, retiring for a second time at age 80. She felt called to work with remedial students. Her students will tell you she loved them and encouraged them in their endeavors. Her father taught her to respect structure and also the importance of integrity, ideals she inculcated throughout her educational career.
Barbara serves as member of the Altar Guild, is a charter member of the Daughters of the King, and volunteers at an after school tutoring program for elementary students. She sings in the Christ Church Choir and is a wonderful soloist. She says, “Music is the highlight of my life.”
She and Tom had four children; one daughter was lost to cancer. Today there are nine grandchildren, and three great grandchildren with a fourth on the way.
Barbara loves Christ Church, whose members are like her family. She is outgoing, friendly and vivacious. She has many friends of all ages. She feels that more attention must be focused on the older members in churches because of their many needs which, often, are not being addressed. Her faith is very strong, and she attends church regularly. The lesson she has learned in life is that “no person is an island.” Barbara feels that people must work together to arrive at solutions.