Funeral services for Odessa Buckingham, 80, of Alto, will be Thursday, June 2, at 1 PM in the River of Life Church in Alto. Burial will follow in the Linwood Cemetery near Alto. No visitation is scheduled. Odessa Mitchell Buckingham passed away Monday, May 30 in Alto at the age of 80. She was born March 27,1942 in Rusk, Texas to Matt Mitchell and Rensie Clements Mitchell. She had lived all her life in Alto and was retired from the Rusk State Hospital where she had worked as a supervisor. Odessa was a longtime member of Linwood Baptist Church where she was very active and sang in the choir. She loved basketball. Odesssa is preceded in death by her parents, 3 sisters, Mary Pearl Hackney, Betty Jean Ross, Etta McKnight and 9 brothers Troy Mitchell, James Mitchell, Willie B. Mitchell, Budlyn Perry, Robert Mitchell, Ellis Mitchell, Lawrence Mitchell, Roy L. Mitchell and Earnest Mitchell. Odessa is survived by husband Nathaniel Buckingham of Alto, son Wenricks Mitchell of Rusk, daughters Stephanie Buckingham-Hart of Alto and Natalie Buckingham of Jacksonville, grandchildren Tiffany Hart, Kierra Whitaker, Kyana Hart and Destiny Hart and great grandchildren Kylance Holland and Jakamden Whitaker.The family wishes to thank the Affinity Hospice in Lufkin and especially Peggy Shelton.