Eula Fremont

Eula Fremont is Laura-Jean's hardworking mother and a founder of Odyssey's downtown mission house with her husband, Homer. Laura-Jean feels ashamed of Eula's worn work dress and excludes both parents from her sixth-grade graduation party. She does not know that Eula wears the shabby dress while serving food every afternoon so people at the mission will not feel embarrassed by their own clothing. Eula and Homer have helped residents such as Owen and Cora leave the streets and begin new lives. They also pray faithfully for the people they serve. Quiet, compassionate, and unwilling to seek recognition, Eula chooses solidarity over appearance. When Laura-Jean learns the truth, the party becomes a celebration of parents whose ordinary-looking sacrifices have given dignity, food, and hope to many neighbors.