Odelle Ard

Odelle M. Ard was born on October 13, 1922 to the late Oscar Mathes and Henrietta Matthews (Mathes) in Cincinnati, Ohio. Odelle departed this life on June 10, 2011 at Hyde Park Health Center at 4001 Rosslyn Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45209. Vitas Innovative Hospice Care provided service on her last days.
Odelle accepted Christ at a very early age. She has been a member of St. Paul A.M.E. Church since 1941; under the late Reverends Gaines and J. Smith. She was a member of the Senior Choir, International Cantanta Choir of Greater Cincinnati, and St. Paul Missionary Society of A.M.E. She also belonged to the Lay Organization and Senior Choir Union of Cincinnati. Odelle played the organ, piano and sung in the Senior Choir.

In the year of 2000, The City of Cincinnati issued her a proclamation plaque for 50 years of membership at St. Paul A.M.E. Church. She was also the Director of Music for the York Street United Methodist Church for over 15 years.
Mrs. Ard played the piano for Nash Trinity UMC and Marbly United Methodist Church for numerous years.

Odelle attended Cincinnati Public Schools. In 1941, she graduated from Old Woodward High School. She continued her education at the University of Cincinnati where she received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education. She taught in the Cincinnati Public Schools district for years and worked briefly at Coney Island.
For over fifty years, she was married to the late William J. Ard, they were blessed with a child, Betty Joanne.

Odelle is survived by loving relatives and friends; nieces Phyllis Holt (Lewis), Lowanda Cooper (Sylvester), Loretta Short; nephews Howard Short (Marshall), Kenneth Short; great nieces Robin and Candice; great nephews Adrian Holt (Shannon), Steven Short, Curtis Short, Michael Short and Tyran; cousins JB Reese, Mary Thomas (William), James Daniels (Sherri) and Gladys Lewis; close friends James E. Lomax, Earlene Watts, Mildred Williams, Bernice Lockett, Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Stokes, and a host of other relatives and friends.