Brian's father was born in Laurens County to Clarence Archibald Odom and Mary Rose Coursey Odom. He was raised in Toombs County and graduated from Lyons High School. He was a veteran of World War II having served in the Army Air Corp as a radio operator/gunner in the Pacific theatre. He is a cum laude graduate of Mercer University (BA - History), received his Masters in Journalism from University of Georgia and attended University of South Carolina where he worked on his doctorate in History until his VA benefits expired. He worked for newspapers in Charleston, SC, Brunswick, GA, Augusta, GA & Savannah GA from 1954 until his retirement in the mid 1980s. Picutured above is Reva Odom (shown in center of horsehore desk) serving as the chief copy editor of the Savannah Mornings News during the early 60s. The printing presses were located on the floor above his copy work room. Brian enjoyed his summers as a youth when he often accompanied his father to work and helped the copy boy run copies from the wire room to Reva's editing desk.