Opal Huffman
Oskaloosa. Opal Huffman, 101, of Oskaloosa, died Friday, April 15, 2011, at the Mahaska Hospital in Oskaloosa. She was born September 28, 1909, north of What Cheer, the daughter of Ira and Jennie Garrett James. She graduated from the Thornburg High School with the class of 1928. On January 23, 1929, she was united in marriage James Huffman at Oskaloosa; he died in July of 1992. Early on she was a homemaker. Later she went to work for Graham’s Department Store in Oskaloosa for nearly 20 years. She also helped her husband on the farm near Rose Hill. In 1975 they moved into Oskaloosa. Opal volunteered at the Mahaska County Courthouse well into her 90s, she was recognized by Governor Branstad for her volunteer work. Opal was very community minded; she served as secretary to the South River School Board in the Tioga neighborhood and as President of the Rose Hill Community Church board for 15 years. She loved to be involved in organizations and in the community. She was a member of the Knights of Pythias, and the Thrifty Homemakers neighborhood club. Opal was a lifetime member of the Rose Hill Community Church, and she attended the Oskaloosa First Church of the Nazarene and the Faith Evangelical Methodist Church in University Park. She enjoyed quilting and doing crafts. She also enjoyed wintering at Apache Junction, Arizona, for over 20 years. Opal will be remembered as a very good cook.
Opal is survived by her son, Garry Huffman (& Marge Fields) of Unionville, Missouri; a son in law: Willis Snook of Grinnell; three grandchildren: Michael and Russell Huffman and Dennis Snook; four great grandchildren; four great great grandchildren; a brother: Everett James of Sigourney; and two sisters: Wilma Snakenberg of Washington and Viola (& Kenneth) Scherer of Agency; and many nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter: Phyllis Snook; a grandson in infancy; two brothers: Garold and Raymond James; and four sisters: Eva Lawrence, Gladys Benson, Agnes Dutemple, and Olivie Reynolds-Nichols.
Funeral services for Opal Huffman will be held Tuesday, April 19, 2011, at 11 a.m. in the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Reverends David Childers and Ralph Sprunk officiating. Burial will be in the Tioga Cemetery, near Rose Hill. The Bates Funeral Chapel is in charge of the arrangements. Visitation will begin Monday after 11 a.m. at the Bates Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa and the family will be at the funeral chapel from 5—7 Monday evening to greet friends and relatives. Memorials may be made to the Tioga Cemetery Association.
Source: Bates Funeral Chapel
