Death and Funeral Announcement

Teresa Leigh Oduor 1957-2026

It is with deep appreciation and thanksgiving to the Lord that we announce the death of Teresa Leigh Oduor who departed this life on Thursday March-12-2026, in Huntsville, Alabama USA after a short illness.

She was the wife of Thomas W. Oduor of Anyiko Konjra Village, Gem Yala, Siaya County, Kenya. Daughter of Rev. Al Kent and the late Nancy Jones Kent of Lebanon, Tennessee. Daughter in law of the late John Mariko Msula and the late Dorcas Tabitha Oluoch of Gem Yala, in Kenya.

Mother of Joy Adhiambo Miller (Michael) of Tallahassee FL, Job Onyango (Christina)of Knoxville, TN, Josiah Ochieng of Madison AL and Joanna Dorcas Aluoch of Lebanon, TN.

Grandmother of Jurias, Oliver, Eleanor, Lonnie, Henry, William & Michaela. Sister to Alicia Hovies (Tom) and Janet Beam (Dennis). Sister-in-law of Lillian Atieno Msula of Nairobi, Kenya.

Teresa was born in Pontiac Michigan. She attended local schools in Michigan and later Canada where her father Al Kent attended seminary. Her family eventually moved to Alabama where she graduated from Decatur High School in Decatur, Alabama. She attended Tennessee Temple University in Chattanooga for three years before going to Nairobi Kenya as a short time missionary with Child Evangelism Fellowship (CEF) in 1979. She served for about a year and a half and then returned to the states. She went back to Kenya in 1984 as a full-time missionary with CEF where she reached many children with the gospel through Good News clubs. Teresa later finished her degree at Tennessee State University in Nashville TN in the year 2013 after all her children had graduated from High school and gone to college.

In the course of her ministry, she met Thomas W. Oduor, and they got married in Nairobi, Kenya in August 1986. They were blessed with four children all born in Nairobi Kenya. After their marriage she continued her ministry through Scripture Union (SU) until March 1994 when they relocated to Lebanon TN. All their children graduated from Lebanon High School. They lived in El Paso Texas from 2012 to 2021 when her husband Tom accepted a job with the city. Thereafter they relocated to Coachella Valley in California from July 2021 to September 2025 on another professional pursuit. At the termination of her husband’s employment, they took up residence in Madison AL with their son Josiah until the time of her death.

Teresa accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her savior at an early age and felt called to minister to children. In all the churches they worshiped wherever they lived, Teresa got involved in children’s ministry and taught in vacation bible schools. She also loved singing in the choir in all the churches they attended.

She loved sewing and was always busy doing alterations or making garments from African fabric for her customers. She enjoyed making things for her grandchildren and was teaching one of her grandchildren how to sew at the time of her death.

At the time of her death, they had just began building their retirement house in December 2025 in Anyiko Konjra in Gem Yala Kenya even as they looked forward to their 40th wedding anniversary in August this year.

To God be the glory great things he has done.

Public Viewing & Visitation, Friday, March 20, 2026 from 5pm – 7pm at J C Hellum Funeral Home, 107 Stokes St, Lebanon, TN 37087.

Public Visitation will be held from 10am – 12noon on Saturday, March 21, 2026 at Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 522 Castle Heights Ave, Lebanon, TN 37087, with Funeral Service to follow.

Interment will follow funeral service at Cedar Grove Cemetery, 609 S Maple St, Lebanon, TN 37087

Please keep the Oduor family in your thoughts and prayers.

Arrangements entrusted to J C Hellum Funeral Home, 107 Stokes St, Lebanon, TN 37087. 615-444-4558