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Georgetown City Fire Department

Georgetown, South Carolina

Chief Odell B. Avant (ret.)

1934 - 2008

Original Obituary as it appeared in the Georgetown Times (Reprinted with Permission)

Odell Bethel Avant, 74, of Georgetown, retired Chief of the City of Georgetown Fire Department and the husband of Ethel Lee Powell Avant, died Friday, Oct. 17, 2008, at the Tidelands Hospice House. 

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008, at the Georgetown Church of God.

The last fire engine purchased during Chief Avant's service, will transport his body to his final resting place in the Pennyroyal Memorial Gardens, directed by the Georgetown Chapel of McKenzie Funeral Home.

Send online condolences to McKenzieFuneralH @aol.com.

On Monday, Oct. 20, 2008, Chief Avant will lie in state from 12 to 5 p.m. in the Georgetown City Hall rotunda. The Avant family will receive family and friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at City Hall.

Chief Avant was born Sept. 26, 1934, in Georgetown County, a son of Calvin Bethel Avant and Bertie Viola Cribb Avant. He was a US Army veteran. In April 1960, Chief Avant began his 30 years' service as a Georgetown County fireman. On Jan. 1, 1969, he was promoted to the Assistant Chief. On Dec. 29, 1971, he was promoted to the Chief. During his service, he oversaw the building of two fire stations for the City of Georgetown. In the 1980s, he was also instrumental setting the vision and beginning the process for the aerial ladder truck for the city.

On June 30, 1990, Chief Avant retired. He continued to serve the community as he helped many of the citizens with minor tasks using his beloved tractor.

Odell Avant married Ethel Lee on Oct. 1, 1960 and celebrated 49 years of marriage. From their union survives two children, Delmar Wayne Avant (Jennifer) of Summerville, and Angela Renae Williams (Dean) of Georgetown, and two grandchildren, Zachery Avant and Austin Avant; three sisters, Joann Driggers (Lucius) of Andrews, Dottie Barnhill of Pleasant Hill and Margaret Ammons (Johnny) of Columbia.

He was predeceased by his parents; four brothers, Don Avant, Freddie Avant, Ted Avant, and Winston Avant; and two sisters, Ruby Owens and Delaine Clemons.