Opal Irene Brubaker

Dec. 6, 1923 - March 2, 2017

Opal Irene Brubaker, 93, of Sweet Home went to be with her Savior on Thursday.

She was born in Hubbard to Floyd and Grace (Burkholder) Emmert. In 1938, her family moved from Molalla to Sweet Home where she graduated from Sweet Home High School in 1941.

She married Amos E. Brubaker on July 27, 1941, in Sweet Home and they raised their three children in Sweet Home. While Opal was raising her children, she also did the bookkeeping and taxes for her husband's logging company. In 1969, Amos became paralyzed in a logging accident, and for the next 20 years until his death, Opal faithfully cared for him. 

Opal was a charter member of Sweet Home Mennonite Church, but when the family was young, they also helped minister at a small church in Cascadia for seven years. She was involved as a Sunday school teacher, VBS teacher, Bible study leader and various ladies' ministries. She also loved being involved in Child Evangelism Fellowship as she went into different schools to give young children an opportunity to learn about her Jesus. Over the years, she taught many children in her church and community and the memories of her teaching stayed with them into adulthood.  After she "retired" from that, she graded Bible lessons from prisoners through Gospel Echoes.  She didn't hesitate to get involved in the lives of others as she became a foster parent, and substitute parent to many others that needed that influence in their lives. As she got older, she had great concern for her "ladies," who were actually women her own age she ministered to.

Her mind was always active even up to the end as she planned new projects for herself and others to carry out. She designed and helped construct a 6,000 square-foot duplex to be used for foster care, and loved working outside in the yard or on the 100-acre ranch spraying the hated tansy, thistles and briars.  It was a very normal sight to see her out on the farm on her John Deere 5-wheel gator, or the "Whoopie," as her family knew it by. She was able to do all this until age 90.  

Opal is survived by two sons, Arnold (Donna) Brubaker of Sweet Home and Dennis (Alice) Brubaker of Harrisonburg, Virginia; daughter Anita (Amos) Kropf of Albany; grandchildren Tonia (Eric) Whisman, Phil Brubaker, Jeff (Patty) Brubaker, Michael (Angela)Brubaker, Eric (Peggy)Brubaker, Daryl (Rebekah) Brubaker and Deanna Brubaker, Jonathan (Jane) Kropf and Lorenda (Cody) Stoltz; 12 great-grandchildren; brothers Marvin (Mabel) Emmert, Calvin (Beverly) Emmert; and sister Ethel Yoder, all of Sweet Home. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Amos; her parents; sister Margaret; and brothers Wayne and Willis.  

A viewing will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 10, at Sweet Home Funeral Chapel. A funeral service will be at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, March 11, at Sweet Home Mennonite Church, 1266 44th Ave. Final burial will be at Gilliland Cemetery.

Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements (www.sweethomefuneral.com).