David William Ogdon's Obituary
David William Ogdon passed peacefully from this life on the morning of September 21, 2023. He was born on January 25th, 1953, in Enid, Oklahoma, to Thomas William Ogdon and Muriel Ogdon (Tyler). He graduated from Sylvan Hills High School in North Little Rock, Arkansas, and attended the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) where he studied biology. While attending UCA, he participated in the college’s swim team, marching band, and Reserve Officer Training Corps. David married Hazel Laura Thomas, a fellow UCA marching band member, on August 16, 1975, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army upon graduation.
David served in the United States Army for 12 years, earning the rank of Captain before being honorably discharged in 1987. Following his military service, he pursued a career in education, joining the faculty of Woodland Presbyterian School, and earned a Master’s Degree in Educational Research from the University of Memphis while teaching. He is fondly known as Dr. Amazing by faculty, alumni, and members of the Woodland family. David’s contributions at Woodland included teaching, leading Camp Invention summer sessions, support of the school’s puppet ministry, the creation of an on-campus learning garden, the school’s status as an arboretum, as well as a number of woodworking projects that enhanced lower-school classrooms. He will long be remembered for bringing his Harley Davidson motorcycle to campus to promote school fundraisers and events. He retired from Woodland in 2022 after 32 years of teaching.
He will be remembered for his kindness, sense of humor, and love of learning and the natural world.
David is preceded in death by his parents and his children Laura Muriel Ogdon and Richard Thomas Ogdon.
He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Hazel Laura Ogdon (Thomas), of Germantown, TN, his sister, Janice Pearl Emerson (Ogdon) and her husband Michael Emerson of Azle, Texas, his brother, Brice Ogdon of Cabot, Arkansas, his daughter Dorothy Carol Ogdon of Birmingham, Alabama, and her husband, Evan John Anzalone, of Huntsville, Alabama, his son John Tyler Ogdon and his wife Francinette Holokahi, and his grandchildren, Tyrie Holokahi Wilkerson, Rylee Ogdon, and Cooper Ogdon of Frederick, Colorado.
The family would like to thank the staff, caregivers, and nurses of The Village at Germantown for their kindness and skill in caring for David.
A memorial service will be held at 11:00 AM, Saturday, September 30th, at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, 7630 Davidson Road, Olive Branch, MS. Reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials in David’s name to your choice of the following:
Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church
https://www.beautifulsaviorlutheran.org/give
The Barbershop Harmony Society
https://www.barbershop.org/donate
Wounded Warrior Project
https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/donate
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