Opal A. Connelly passed away with her family at her side on Feb. 28, 2013, at Greenwood Village in Kalispell, where she has resided for the past two and a half years.
Opal was born to William and Agnes E. (Johnson) Reutzel on Aug. 4, 1921, in Moorefield, Neb. Her mother passed away when Opal was 4 years old, then she and her younger brother, Roy, were raised for a short while by her father's parents. After her grandmother's death, they were taken in by various family and friends of their father's.
Opal lived on her own for a short while when she was 16. She lived above a cafe where she worked for her room and board while attending ninth grade, but didn't complete her schooling. She met a handsome Irish fellow, James Connelly, at a dance and soon decided to marry on her 17th birthday, Aug. 4, 1938. They had two children, Maurice James Connelly, and Sharon La-Vonne Connelly.
They lived in the area of Brady, Neb., until 1952 when they moved to Electric City, Wash. In 1954 they moved to Kalispell, where Jim worked as a body and fender man for the Ford garage until he retired. Opal worked at Buttrey's and the B&B stores for a number of years in the bakery department.
After retirement they became "snow birds" and spent the rest of their years together traveling to Arizona, California and Oregon. They enjoyed dredging and panning for gold. They met many new, lifelong friends in their adventures.
Opal had always been an excellent seamstress, and knitted and crocheted countless articles for friends and family through the years. She and Jim enjoyed crafting beadwork items, including cactuses and a clock for their daughter. They settled in Quartzite, Ariz., to enjoy their final years together. Jim passed away Dec. 5, 2004, after 66 years of marriage.
In 2010, failing health brought Opal back to the Flathead Valley to be near family. Opal loved a good joke and was quick to respond to anyone's witticisms. You always knew where you stood with her as she rarely held back her opinions. Her feistiness kept her going long after her sight and ability to walk started to fail. She loved her family and friends alike with conviction. She enjoyed the country music that Dennis Rasmussen and the group played at Greenwood Village on Saturday nights, always insisting that Don Landon sing his yodeling song. She felt especially close to those two as they'd been friends of her son's when they were teenagers.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Roy Reutzel; her husband, Jim Connelly; her son, Maurice Connelly; and great-grandson, Travis Herring.
She is survived by her daughter, Sharon, and her husband, Ron Albiston; seven grandchildren, Ginger and Steve Kauffman, Holly Presnell, Penny Benetti, Shawnee Adams, Patrick and Cathy Connelly, Kim and Joe Harness and Tana Carie. She also leaves numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
No services will be held per her request. Her ashes and her husband's will be mingled "and sent on their next adventure together" at a later date.
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Opal was born to William and Agnes E. (Johnson) Reutzel on Aug. 4, 1921, in Moorefield, Neb. Her mother passed away when Opal was 4 years old, then she and her younger brother, Roy, were raised for a short while by her father's parents. After her grandmother's death, they were taken in by various family and friends of their father's.
Opal lived on her own for a short while when she was 16. She lived above a cafe where she worked for her room and board while attending ninth grade, but didn't complete her schooling. She met a handsome Irish fellow, James Connelly, at a dance and soon decided to marry on her 17th birthday, Aug. 4, 1938. They had two children, Maurice James Connelly, and Sharon La-Vonne Connelly.
They lived in the area of Brady, Neb., until 1952 when they moved to Electric City, Wash. In 1954 they moved to Kalispell, where Jim worked as a body and fender man for the Ford garage until he retired. Opal worked at Buttrey's and the B&B stores for a number of years in the bakery department.
After retirement they became "snow birds" and spent the rest of their years together traveling to Arizona, California and Oregon. They enjoyed dredging and panning for gold. They met many new, lifelong friends in their adventures.
Opal had always been an excellent seamstress, and knitted and crocheted countless articles for friends and family through the years. She and Jim enjoyed crafting beadwork items, including cactuses and a clock for their daughter. They settled in Quartzite, Ariz., to enjoy their final years together. Jim passed away Dec. 5, 2004, after 66 years of marriage.
In 2010, failing health brought Opal back to the Flathead Valley to be near family. Opal loved a good joke and was quick to respond to anyone's witticisms. You always knew where you stood with her as she rarely held back her opinions. Her feistiness kept her going long after her sight and ability to walk started to fail. She loved her family and friends alike with conviction. She enjoyed the country music that Dennis Rasmussen and the group played at Greenwood Village on Saturday nights, always insisting that Don Landon sing his yodeling song. She felt especially close to those two as they'd been friends of her son's when they were teenagers.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and brother, Roy Reutzel; her husband, Jim Connelly; her son, Maurice Connelly; and great-grandson, Travis Herring.
She is survived by her daughter, Sharon, and her husband, Ron Albiston; seven grandchildren, Ginger and Steve Kauffman, Holly Presnell, Penny Benetti, Shawnee Adams, Patrick and Cathy Connelly, Kim and Joe Harness and Tana Carie. She also leaves numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
No services will be held per her request. Her ashes and her husband's will be mingled "and sent on their next adventure together" at a later date.