ERDC to honor O’Daniel during Thursday memorial

Published 7:28 pm Wednesday, August 7, 2019

A memorial service for Jim O’Daniel, a U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center engineer, who died Aug. 3, will be Thursday at 2 p.m. at the ERDC auditorium.

O’Daniel died from injuries received in a collision with a pickup truck as he rode his bicyle during the annual Bikes, Blues & Bayous bike ride in Leflore County.

O’Daniel, who was serving in ERDC’s Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory, where he performed research and development in the area of computational mechanics for blast, impact and penetration events.

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According to witnesses, O’Daniel was hit by the truck on U.S. 82 as he was traveling across the highway along the ride’s 62-mile route. He had just left a rest stop in Itta Bena and was heading toward the next stop in Schlater.

O’Daniel is survived by his father, Michael O’Daniel; mother, Fran Waters Griffis, and sisters, Cathy O’Daniel Fuller, Megan O’Daniel and Nancy O’Daniel Zimmer.

About John Surratt

John Surratt is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a degree in general studies. He has worked as an editor, reporter and photographer for newspapers in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. He has been a member of The Vicksburg Post staff since 2011 and covers city government. He and his wife attend St. Paul Catholic Church and he is a member of the Port City Kiwanis Club.

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