Ode to Odegaard

"An ode is a type of lyrical poem enthusiastically praising a person or event."

The Acacia Fraternity Foundation would like to dedicate this article of the Crest and acknowledge the generosity of David A. Odegaard, Cornell '67. Upon his retirement, Brother Odegaard joined the Foundation's Evergreen Society by remembering his Chapter and also the needs of the Foundation by way of a legacy gift. As the 743rd initiate of the Cornell Chapter, Ode's gift is a game-changer for the Chapter and allows the Foundation to further grow our endowments. Unfortunately, we lost Dave way too early as we learned of his passing this past December.

Behind every roll number, there is a story

The Foundation's first of a continuing series of "Alumni Gatherings" was held in Henderson, Nevada, in the fall of 2013. Due to distance, Dave declined our invitation to join us. Nonetheless, not realizing Henderson to Reno was a seven-hour drive up the hypotenuse of the California/Nevada border, I invited myself for a cup of coffee after the event.

Dave's story was fascinating and worth the drive. Brother Odegaard's story began in Denver, Colorado. Next, life brought him to the Hudson River area of New York, followed by his membership into Acacia. Uncle Sam took him to California; once there, the allure of California won out and the Golden State became his home. Retirement brought him to his final destination of Reno! Like our mentor, Pythagoras, each stop upon Dave's Journey had a story.