Odice Eugene Cumbie

Odice Eugene Cumbie a resident of Glen Burnie for 33 years passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 21st. He was surrounded by loving family members.
He was born at home in Pikeville, TN, June 20, 1946 to the late Odice U. and Ruth Cumbie.  He graduated from Kaiserslaughtern American H.S. in Germany, and was trained as an Electronic Communications Technician by the U.S.  Army and attended engineering classes at Capitol College, Laurel, MD.   He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Brenda of Glen Burnie, sons Odice A. of Jacksonville, FL and Richard of Tampa, FL, and brother B.J. of San Antonio, TX as well as several nieces and nephews in other U.S. areas.  He was predeceased by his brother, Wayne and sister, Sonja Jackson both of Tampa, FL.
Odice proudly served the United States for 33 years.  He served in the U.S. Army, retiring after 20 years, and worked at remote communications sites in Europe and Vietnam and instructed radio electronics theory at the U.S. Army Signal School at Ft. Gordon, GA.  During the next 13 years, he worked for several large federal contracting corporations in various assignments for the federal government at several U.S. locations. Odice worked for Charles Taylor Electricians in Crownsville, MD for 2 years, then worked until he retired at age 65 in 08 as a Facility Engineer at the Westfield Mall in Annapolis, MD.
Throughout his life, Odice was an avid scenery photographer and loved camping.  He participated in the Boy Scouts as an Assistant Scout Master for Glen Burnie Troop 780 for 10 years, during which he was elected to the Order of the Arrow and hiked part of the Appalachian Trail.  He was a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for 10 years, being a flotilla commander for 2 years, and assisting the U.S. Coast Guard in its recreational water operations of safety patrols, search and rescue and teaching boating safety in the Baltimore / Washington area.
Odice has been a member of Fellowship Baptist Church in Glen Burnie, MD since 2005.  Odice often participated in many church ministries.  Odice participated each year with the church’s Vacation Bible School teaching and creating VBS decorations; manned grills for youth group activities and participated in Master Clubs.
One of his greatest joys was singing in the church choir - he had an exceptional resonating bass voice.  Odice sang in high school choir as a military dependent in Germany, singing in several large European churches with the H.S. choir.
Odice developed many progressive physical limitations during past 10 years due to Agent Orange exposure.  Although his abilities deteriorated over time, he continued participating in church activities as he was able.  He will truly be missed by those that knew him.
The family will receive visitors at Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services, P.A., 1  2nd Ave, S.W. (at Crain Hwy), in Glen Burnie, MD, two evenings, Thursday, February 28 and Friday, March 1, 2019, from 6 – 9 PM.  Services for Odice will be held on March 2, 2019, at 10 AM at Fellowship Baptist Church, 1015 Sundown Road, Glen Burnie, MD. (in Ferndale near Cromwell Elementary School). Odice requested to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery and interment will be scheduled at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Odice’s name may be made to the Disabled American Veterans via their website: www.dav.org or to DAV; VARO Federal Bldg; Rm 1229, 31 Hopkins Plaza, Baltimore, MD 21201.