SMITH, Opal (Atkinson) 1908-1999

BIRMINGHAM, ATKINSON, SMITH, WILKIN, RUSSELL

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 10/6/2010 at 17:31:04

Decorah Public Opinion, Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2000

Opal Smith

Opal I. Smith, 91, of Decorah, died Friday, Dec. 31, 1999, at the Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2000, at 10 a.m., at First United Methodist Church in Decorah, with the Rev. James Dale officiating.

The Rev. Kristen Kvamme will be the organist. The congregation will sing "Rock of Ages" and "Amazing Grace."

Casket bearers will be Opal's grandchildren. Honorary bearers will be Kenneth H. Galloway and Dr. A. J. Headington.

Burial will be held at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 4, in Boone, at the Linwood Park Cemetery. The Fjelstul Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Visitation will be held at the church Tuesday after 9 a.m.

Opal (Atkinson) Smith was born Feb. 14, 1908, at Boone, the daughter of Oliver and Famie (Birmingham) Atkinson. She graduated from Boone High School in 1926.

After high school, Opal worked at the F. W. Woolworth Co. in Boone as the head cashier until her marriage.

She married Howard C. Smith in Boone July 20, 1930.

They then lived in various Midwestern communities as Howard's job progressed from assistant manager to manager of his own F. W. Woolworth Co. store.

They moved to Decorah in 1938 to manage the Decorah F. W. Woolworth Co. Store.

Opal was quite active in community activities. She was a member of both the Order of Eastern Star and the P.E.O. Sisterhood for over 50 years. She was a past president and past worthy matron in these groups.

She enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, sewing and gardening.

Opal was a member of First United Methodist Church and involved in many activities, including U.M.W. and serving as a Sunday School teacher.

She had been a resident at the Aase Haugen Home since May of 1999.

Survivors include one son, Howard and Linda Smith Jr. of Cedar Rapids; Helen Wilkin of Decorah; and Judy and Joe Russell of Cottage Grove, Wis.; 10 grandchildren, Tonya Scott, Kecia Cowden, Melody Remke, Derrick Wilkin, Jeff Smith, Jason Smith, Chris Smith, Jeanette Cox, William Russell and Charles Russell; 10 great-grandchildren; one daughter-in-law, Dianne Smith of Marion; and a "special adoptive uncle" to her children, Ken Galloway of Decorah.

Opal Smith was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Howard, who died Nov. 20, 1977; one son, Wayne, who died in 1994; one sister, Orpha Atkinson; and one brother, Glenn Atkinson.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.