Family of Ira Edgar Odom

Dr. Odom was a professor of geology and mineralogy at NIU from 1964 to 1981. He then became Vice President for Research and Development at American Colloid Company from 1981 to 1994, after which he served as a consultant for several industrial mineral companies. He passed away in 2003. Dr. Odom had a wide interest in clay minerals and sedimentary rocks, and he was an expert in bentonites and the smectite clay mineral group. He was a dedicated professor who believed a student should be given the practical aspects of a subject and not just the theory.