Eiad Mohammad Odeh was born in Kuwait City, Kuwait on September 23, 1966. He was the first-born child of Mohammad Tawfiq Odeh and Sudkieh Abu-Jaish who were from Nablus, Palestine.
Growing up and into his early adulthood, Eiad’s passion was playing soccer. He would have become a professional soccer player if his father had allowed it. Instead, his father wanted him to focus on his education and advised him that he should pursue a degree in engineering. As a child, instead of playing with his toys, Eiad would take them apart to see how they worked.
At the age of seventeen, Eiad came to the United States for college. He began his education at Portland State University and later transferred to Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he obtained a degree in Electronics Engineering Technology. Later on, he obtained a second degree from Louisiana State University in Electrical Engineering.
Eiad was a brilliant man with a creative and analytical mind. During his career, he served as an Assistant to the Director of Public Works at the City of Baton Rouge-Parish of East Baton Rouge where he created solutions for various processes and managed many high-level projects. He was also a serial entrepreneur, starting his own companies and developing software to analyze and solve complex equations (”AnalyzeThat”), to automate the plan review process for determining compliance with the Commercial Building Code (“OptaSoft – Commercial Building Inspector”), and to handicap college football (“Here is the Pick”). Eiad’s latest career venture was with International Business Machines (IBM), where he was employed as a consultant to IBM’s clients both in the United States and Canada.
Despite Eiad’s vast accomplishments, the most important thing in his life was his family, both his family of origin and his immediate family with his wife and child. He was loving and supportive to his parents and his siblings. He was also a loyal and devoted husband. Eiad and his wife, Mary E. Roper, were together for over thirty years and had one child, Elizabeth Alexandra Odeh, affectionately nicknamed “Neda” (a Palestinian name meaning the morning dew on a rose). Elizabeth was his princess, and he was her protector. The role of “Daddy” was his most cherished.
Eiad passed away peacefully at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on September 18, 2024, after a brief and unexpected illness with cancer. He was predeceased by his father, Mohammad Tawfiq Odeh of Irbid, Jordan. He is survived by his wife, Mary E. Roper, and daughter, Elizabeth Alexandra Odeh, both of Baton Rouge Louisiana; his mother Sudkieh Abu-Jaish of Irbid, Jordan; four brothers – Dr. Murad M. Odeh, PhD (Etaf) and Dr. Fuad M. Odeh, PhD (Qamar) of St. Louis, MO; Moayad M. Odeh (Maisa) of Irbid, Jordan; Mohannad M. Odeh (Samah); and one sister, Fadwa M. Odeh (Fadi) of Irbid, Jordan; as well as sisters-in-law – Deborah R. Phillips of Soddy Daisy, TN; Rebecca M. Bryant (Phillip) of Athens, AL; Jennifer L. Tanner (Timothy) of Trussville, AL; brother-in-law, Dwight D. Roper (Traci) of Rainsville, AL; numerous nieces and nephews and a wealth of friends – all of whom were precious to him and enriching to his life.
After services in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, graveside services will follow in Glenwood Cemetery in Fort Payne, Alabama at 2 p.m. Saturday, September 28, 2024.
Wilson Funeral Home and Crematory of Fort Payne is in charge of graveside services.
