Ida Opal Blevins
of Omaha, AR
August 13, 1918 - April 21, 2015 Ida Opal Haynes Blevins passed to her reward Tuesday, April 21, 2015, at Maple Esplanade Assisted Living.
She loved the staff at Maple Esplanade and made many good friends since she moved there last year. Opal was born August 13, 1918, in Bixby, Oklahoma. She was the first child of L.C. and Mary (Heal) Haynes. She had two sisters, Grace Bird and Myrtle VanDeventer, and a brother, Lawrence C. Haynes Jr. She was preceded in death by her parents; her sisters; a brother; twin baby girls; and her husband of 63 years, Isom Blevins.
Opal was raised in Oklahoma until age 16 when the family moved to Van, Texas. The family was active in their church and, as was the custom, gathered in groups. She met Isom Blevins, of Arkansas, a cousin of one of her friends, at one of these group gatherings. After graduating Valedictorian of her 1936 Van High School Class, Isom found a job in Illinois and asked Opal to marry him. She traveled by train to meet him and they were married September 9, 1937 in Vincennes, Indiana. They came to Arkansas for a short time in 1947 when she was 27, then moved to Texas, and then back to Arkansas in 1949.
To this union, three children were born, John L. Blevins and wife Lillian (Roberts) Blevins, of Mission TX, Jerry R. Blevins and wife Gwendolyn (Roberts) Blevins of Omaha, AR, and Sharon K. (Blevins) McCoy and husband Mike of Sunland, CA.
Opal also has seven grandchildren, Shonna Parker and husband Wes, and Richard Blevins and wife Gina, all of Omaha; Doug Blevins and wife Tauna of Canton, TX, Kim Moore and husband Mark of Harrison, Sherry Cloud, of Van TX, Johnny Blevins and wife Marci, of Canton, TX and Nathan McCoy of Sunland, CA. She has thirteen great-grandchildren; and nine great-great-grandchildren. Grandma Opal had a positive profound influence on all her grandchildren.
Opal was a homemaker and a factory worker until she attended Twin Lakes Vocational College in August, 1967 and obtained her LPN license 11 months later in 1968; she had 5 grandchildren at the time she began training. She graduated with the first LPN class at TLVC (later NACC) under the leadership of Kathryn Hill, RN. She worked first at Boone County Hospital and then at Skaggs Medical Center in Branson, MO until her retirement in 1983. She and Isom retired to the farm where they raised cattle. Opal attended Liberty Assembly of God Church where she played the organ. After the church closed, she then attended First Assembly in Harrison.
Visitation was Tuesday, April 28, 2015, at First Assembly of God Church, Harrison, AR.
Services celebrating Opal’s life were Wednesday, April 29, 2015, at First Assembly of God Church, with Bro. Arlis Thrasher and Bro. Dennis Selvidge officiating. Interment was in Gass Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Nathan McCoy, Eric Parker, Matt Parker, Alex Parker, Brian Blevins, and Ben Palmer.
Honorary pallbearers were great-grandchildren, Kayla and Chase Payne, Kristin and Brandon Motley, Megan Blevins, Brandon and Danielle Blevins, Ashley and Daniel Jock, Kylie Blevins, Ben and Jessica Cloud, Misty Palmer, Katie Cloud, Liz, Lindsay, and Brittany Parker.
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First Assembly of God Church
1329 West Stephenson Avenue
Harrison,
AR 72601
4/28/2015 at 6:00 to 8:00 PM |
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Funeral Service
First Assembly of God Church
1329 West Stephenson Avenue
Harrison,
AR 72601
4/29/2015 at 10:00 AM |
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Gass Cemetery
Hwy. 65 North
Harrison, AR 72601 |
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Obituary Provided By:
519 North Spring Street
Harrison, AR 72601
www.rollerfuneralhomes.com
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