Accruing more than 65 years of professional excellence in the legal industry, Waldo Talmage Oden Jr. has been serving as a lawyer in his own private practice in Altus, Okla., since 1952, as well as with Farmers and Merchants Bank since 1960. An esteemed figure in his field, Mr. Oden was formerly a professor and faculty coordinator of the master’s degree program at Webster University at the Altus Air Force Base between 1975 and 2002; county director of civil defense for Jackson County from 1959 to 1998; an instructor of criminology at Altus Air Force Base in 1958; and an instructor of business law at Western Oklahoma State College from 1956 to 1959. Earlier in his career, he served as an assistant attorney for Jackson
County, a lecturer of agricultural law, and a lawyer with Robinson, Oden & Oden.

To prepare for his illustrious career, Mr. Oden completed a Bachelor of Arts in political economics from the University of Oklahoma in 1950, followed by a  doctorate in law from the same academic institution in 1952. He subsequently earned a Doctor of Jurisprudence in 1970. Notably, Mr. Oden was also elected for a Paul Harris Fellowship in 1993, and he received an honorary Doctor of Jurisprudence from Oklahoma City University in 1999. He has been admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit.

In addition, Mr. Oden has served his community in a number of civic engagements, including the Boy Scouts of America, the Salvation Army, the United Methodist Church, Community Action Elder Services, Meals on Wheels America, the American National Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, and various halfway houses. Furthermore, he has been a board member of the Area Agency on Aging and chair of the Adult Council Retired and Senior Volunteer Program for Community Actions.

In recognition of his exceptional achievements, Mr. Oden has been honored with several accolades throughout his impressive career. In 1998 and 1999, he was presented with the Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award by the Oklahoma Bar Association. In addition, he was the recipient of the Silver Beaver Award from the Last Frontier Council.

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