Elzie Odom, a trailblazing former mayor of Arlington remembered for his “unwavering belief in the potential of every resident,” died Monday at the age of 96, his family says.

Odom, according to a city biography, grew up in the freedom colony of Shankleville in Deep East Texas and later attended Prairie View A&M University before going to work for the U.S. Post Office.

According to his memoir, “Counting My Blessings,” Odom was the first Black person to be elected to the school board in Orange County, Texas, and the first Black person in Texas to be named U.S. Postal Inspector. He was later the first Black person to be elected mayor of Arlington.

After retiring from the USPS in 1987, Odom and his wife, Ruby, were living in Arlington when he decided to run for a seat on the Arlington City Council.

“It was a group of people who persuaded me to run for office,” Odom said in a documentary about his story. “It was just something I wanted to do. So I ran and was elected.”

Odom told NBC 5 in 2011 that whenever he met an opportunity, he greeted it with determination, gratitude and a desire to serve others.

“There’s nothing magic about being a Black councilmember. I’ve had people ask me, ‘What have you done for the Black community?’ and I’d say, ‘I’ve tried to give them the same things as everybody else, because that’s what they want. To be honest, I don’t think I thought about race that much. I thought about the opportunity, and it was,” said Odom.

Odom was first elected to the City Council in 1990 and ultimately served 14 years in city government, including six as mayor.

During his tenure as mayor, Odom is credited with keeping the Texas Rangers and GM Assembly in Arlington, while focusing on several youth and community programs, as well as transportation and mobility initiatives.

“Those are some of the things that I recall working on. There is a sense of satisfaction when you see something happen that you had something to do with, but I realized that most of the things could not have happened on my own,” Odom said, gesturing to his wife. “We have been together all our lives and everything I did, she did. So it had to be ‘we.’ So we thank God that we’ve been able to be here this long.”

Odom’s family said he devoted his life to public service and building bridges in Arlington and that he “served with humility, integrity and an unwavering belief in the potential of every resident.”

“Oh sure, I love to ride around Arlington and see the things that my hand touched as mayor, but it’s doing something for someone else that makes you feel good,” Odom told NBC 5.

Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said the city will lower its flags to half-staff to honor Odom’s life and service to the community.

“Today, as we lower our flags, we honor a life that was nothing short of monumental,” Ross said. “Elzie Odom was more than a dedicated servant; he was the embodiment of the Arlington spirit. He was a trailblazer who fundamentally changed our city’s landscape, not just through transportation and infrastructure improvements and keeping vital employers like General Motors and the Rangers in town, but by championing the idea that every single person in Arlington deserved a seat at the table.”

Odom’s daughter, Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley, who is the current District 8 representative on the Arlington City Council, said her father inspired her to lead a life of public service.

“I was taught that service is the price you pay for the space you occupy. So, my public service is deep respect and honor for my dad, who blazed the trail,” Odom-Wesley said.

Odom, a longtime member and deacon of the Mount Olive Baptist Church, is survived by his wife of 78 years, Ruby; his daughter, Dr. Barbara Odom-Wesley; his son, Rev. Elzie Odom Jr.; his grandchildren; and his great-grandchildren. Arrangements for a celebration of Odom’s life are pending.