Elzie Odom was born on May 10, 1929, in
Newton County, Texas. He was raised in the
freedom colony of
Shankleville, Texas, which was established by his ancestors, James ("Jim") and Winnie Shankle. The Odom family were
subsistence farmers, raising cows, chickens, and pigs and growing crops for food. Odom's father worked as a
carpenter and community
undertaker, and his mother maintained a small
general store across the street from their family home. Both parents later served in various positions at their local church, Mount Hope Baptist Church. Odom was the second youngest of eight siblings. Odom met his wife, Ruby Truvillion, while he was a junior in high school. Ruby is the daughter of Reverend Henry Truvillion and O'Neal Bluitt. After graduating from
Burkeville Colored High School, Odom attended
Prairie View College for one year before leaving school to be a carpentry apprentice under his father. Elzie and Ruby were married in July 1947. They had two children, Elzie Odom, Jr, and Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley. In 1950, the family moved to
Orange, Texas, in pursuit of greater employment opportunities. In 1950, Odom became a letter carrier with the
United States Postal Service (USPS) in Orange, and earned supplemental income through sales jobs. Ruby was hired to work at the office of a local black dentist, and became a
Registered Radiologic Technologist. The Odoms were active in their community, helping to establish a kindergarten and preschool for black children and participating in the local
parent-teacher association. The Odoms were active members of the
NAACP, and in 1956–1957 they attended and held secret meetings in response to state persecution of the NAACP. Odom was elected to serve on the
Orange school district board in May 1965, making him the first African American to be elected as a city official in
Orange County. In 1967, Odom became a postal inspector and was transferred to
Los Angeles, where the family stayed for three years. Odom retired from the USPS in 1987. == Political career ==