Orilla "Odee" D. Maier

Orilla “Odee” Maier, 86, of Fargo, passed into eternal life at Essentia Hospital on Wednesday, September 21, 2016 after a brief illness.

Odee was born April 5, 1930 in Fargo to Mark and Esther (Anderson) McGill. She grew up in Fargo and spent the war years in San Diego. Odee graduated from Fargo Central High in 1948 and NDAC in 1952. On June 12, 1952, Odee married the love of her life, Gordon Maier. Gordie and Odee raised their three children in Fargo. After the children were in school, Odee went back to MSU for her teaching certificate and taught music for several years. Odee worked for many years as the office manager for Maier Engineering and MiniMax Software until she retired.

Throughout her life, music was Odee’s greatest joy. She began piano lessons at age 3 and sang on the Captain Ken’s Kiddie Club on the radio. She was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota and the Fine Arts Club of Fargo. Odee was active in the Fargo-Moorhead Area Music Club, the North Dakota Federation of Music Clubs, the North Central Region, and the National Federation of Music Clubs. She was the co-founder of the Junior Composers Institute.

Odee was an avid reader, a Bison Team Maker, an enthusiastic tomato grower, and the Food Giver for the family dogs. She happily cooked dinner every night until recently, and made five English trifles the last weekend she spent at home. Odee had many friends from grade school, high school, college, music clubs, and neighborhoods.

In addition to Gordie, Odee is survived by her children Pati Maier (John Stewart) of St. Paul, MN, Lynn Maier-Belair (David Belair) of Blaine, MN, and Matt Maier of Fargo, nine grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, her little dog Sparky, and her dear friends.

The family would like to thank our good neighbors for nurturing our tummies and souls these past months.

In honor of Odee, Bison apparel is welcome to be worn at the visitation on Sunday.

Memorials are preferred to the Junior Composers Institute. www.juniorcomposers.org