October 16, 2011
1 min read

Profile: Alex Odeh

Statue of Alex Odeh with a bird perching on his hand while he was holding book with the other hand.

It has been 26 years since Alex Odeh was assassinated at his Santa Ana office on October 11, 1985.

Odeh was killed by a pipe bomb, which was triggered when he tried to unlock his office door. The explosion killed him instantly. He was 41.

The case remains unsolved.

The Alex Odeh Memorial Statue, which stands outside the main branch of the Santa Ana Library, was commissioned by Odeh’s former colleague Khalil Bendib.

After learning of Odeh’s murder, Bendib vowed to create a lasting memorial to the peace activist. The concept of a statue incubated for years but was finally erected in Santa Ana in 1994.

A U.S. citizen and a Palestinian Roman Catholic, Odeh immigrated to the U.S. in 1972, and served as the West Coast Regional Director of the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee.

Relatives and friends who knew Odeh remember him as a rebel, but in an elegant, poignant and non-violent way. He is survived by his wife Norma and three daughters Helena, Samia and Susan.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Previous Story

Movie review: Abduction

A plate of thinly sliced raw brisket
Next Story

Restaurant review: Mr. Lee’s Korean Barbeque

Latest from Blog

Baseball – 20110308 – Fullerton

Author Recent Posts el Don News Latest posts by el Don News (see all) Read our Fall 2023 Print: Vol. 100 No. 1 - October 23, 2023 Santa Ana College Awarded State
Go toTop