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GRAVES, Opal Richardson
96, of Clearwater, Florida, passed away November 28, 2017. She is preceded by her husband of 72 years, Samuel Ray Graves. Survivors include three daughters, Rebecca Shaw of St. Petersburg, Katherine Springfield and her husband, Thaxton, of St. Augustine and Beth Davis and her husband, George, of Clearwater; grandchildren, Katherine (Darien) Goodloe, Ansley (Justin) Barlett, Sarah Davis, Ty (Tom) Osborne, Justin (Joy) Davis; great-grandchildren, Caleb and Quincy Goodloe, Will and Benjamin Bartlett, Anna and Jack Osborne, and Jonah and Juliet Davis. Opal is also survived by numerous nieces, and nephews.
Her extended family also includes the members and families of the Silver Sixties, a group of former University of Florida football players, men who played football for Ray in the 1960s.
Opal was born in Norwood, Missouri, but grew up in Tazewell, Tennessee, the daughter of Clarence and Rachel Richardson, and the middle child of 6 siblings. She attended public schools in Claiborne County and was educated at Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee and East Tennessee State University in Johnson City, Tennessee. After receiving her teaching certificate at 18, she taught in a rural, one-room schoolhouse, grades one through eight.
She married Ray in 1942 and subsequently lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where Ray played professional football with the Philadelphia Eagles. Ray was an assistant coach at both the University of Tennessee and Georgia Tech, and ultimately was head football coach and athletic director at the University of Florida. They retired to the Tampa Bay area in 1980.
She was an active member of Lake Magdalene United Methodist Church. Opal was a long-time member of the Board of Trustees, a member of the Mary Martha Circle and Sharing Friends Sunday School class, the Church council and Stephen Ministries.
In 1970 she was given an honorary membership in the University of Florida Alumni Association. In 2001 the All-American Football Foundation named her "First Lady of Football" for her loyal support of the game.
She always enjoyed her life and was active in the church and university and community affairs. Mother was inquisitive, practical, extremely competent and compassionate. The personal notes, the phone call of support, the kind gestures were things we will always remember. She was a life-long red-head and often showed the stereotypical spunkiness associated with red heads. More than one of her friends has remarked that in times of stress, they would ask themselves "what would Opal do?" To say we will miss her is an understatement.
The family extends a special thanks to the Oaks of Clearwater for their compassionate care and support for mother.
A private burial will be at the Irish Cemetery in Tazewell, TN.
Honorary pallbearers will be Opal's nephews, Jim McMurray, Fred McMurray, Tim Richardson, Scott Richardson, Ricky Richardson, David Richardson and Mike Wilds; and members of the University of Florida Silver Sixties football team. There will be a memorial service at a later date at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church in Tampa. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the United Methodist Womens' Ministry at Lake Magdalene Methodist Church, 2901 Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33618. To visit the family's online obituary, please visit: www.coffeyfh.com
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