Odessa A. Peake

Our beloved Odessa Peake, 96, died peacefully, with family by her side, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Odessa was born on February 20, 1930, to H.T. Young and Ada Anderson in Vian, Oklahoma. Led by two incredibly strong matriarchs and surrounded by family on two separate, family-owned farms in Vian through her early childhood, Odessa was shaped by those formative years.

In her adolescence, Odessa moved to Texas first and then to Ogden, Utah with O.T. Anderson, her adopted father, and Ada Anderson. O.T. was in search of work with the railroad in Utah and provided the kind of strong family structure all children crave.

Eventually, the family moved to a home in Salt Lake City that O.T. and Ada built together with money O.T. earned by shining shoes, and this life lesson of working hard and supporting your mate stuck with Odessa throughout her life.

Odessa then moved to Kansas City to be closer to her extended family, and she ended up working as a cocktail waitress in Kansas City. Odessa loved to talk about those early years when she was single. It was clear to anyone that met her; Odessa knew how to enjoy life and have fun, and it’s those traits of enjoying and appreciating life, and expressing gratitude for our blessings that everyone loved about Odessa.

After eventually moving back to Salt Lake, Odessa met her future husband, Humphrey Guy Peake, and they were married in 1955. They had their one and only child, Kimberly (Patches) Kelly in 1961, which Odessa was initially told was not possible, and because of Kimberly, she was also able to see two beautiful grandchildren grow into adulthood, both of whom were her pride and joy.

As an adult, Odessa took pride in her work as a Bank Teller for Walker Bank from which she eventually retired.

Odessa is survived by her daughter, Kimberly, son-in-law Harold Kelly, and two grandchildren, Tristan Kelly, 40, and Bryson Kelly, 37, and countless nieces and nephews.

Fiercely loyal to family and friends, people were drawn to Odessa, almost like a magnet. She loved telling stories and had a wicked and unfailing sense of humor, even in the face of the most severe trials.

Always classy, Odessa never left the house without being “put together.” Odessa loved to travel with her family and was able to visit many beautiful countries and places. Her love of family, travel, and horses culminated in a trip to Louisville to watch the Kentucky Derby (Odessa even picked the winner).

Her faith and reliance in our loving Creator, Jehovah God, was her constant source of strength and stability. It was her dedication to Jehovah and her hope for the future that brought her true joy and peace. As Odessa aged, her wisdom and experience would help all who had a listening ear, and she had a profound spirituality about her, always trying to reflect and project the enduring qualities of a loving Heavenly Father.

Odessa will always be remembered for her love, loyalty, and generosity, her gift of storytelling, her humor, and her strength. A beautiful woman that exuded class in all her ways, she will be terribly missed by all.

A memorial service is being planned. Details will be provided at a future date.