Opal Merrell

Opal Catherine Merrell
1913 - 2013
Opal Catherine Merrell, 100, of Meridian, passed away on Sunday, August 18, 2013 at a Meridian care center. Opal was born on March 29, 1913 to Kate Helena and Marchius Harvey Swartz. She was born at home on a ranch twenty-five miles from Gillette, Wyoming. There were eight children, four boys and four girls. Opal was the fifth child (third girl.)
Living on a 26 section ranch, Opal and all her siblings had chores - getting in the wood and kindling and filling the reservoir on the stove from the cistern. Her father raised white-face cattle and had two teams of big Percheron horses. They had a horse pulled sled and a mare for buggy rides.
Opal's parents instilled good values in all their children - never tell a lie, or blame the other guy, or take something that doesn't belong to you. The kids stayed in a house Opal's father owned in Gillette during the week to go to school. Her happiest birthday was when she was eight and got a porcelain doll.
Because of the long distance to town, they didn't go to church, but when her mother came in on Saturdays she always picked up the Sunday school papers from the Presbyterian Church. After Opal left home, she switched to the Methodist Church.
In the 7th and 8th grades Opal got awards for penmanship. When she was a senior in high school, in a class of 64 students, she spelled down the class. After high school graduation she took normal school training and taught all grades in a one room rural school 80 miles from home for ten years. Because of the distance from home she had board and room.
One of Opal's brothers was based at Gowen Field. She came to visit him, liked Idaho and decided to stay. She got a waitress job and went to cosmetology school in Nampa. Opal met her first husband at a dance. She married Clifford Riddle in 1941. He was in the construction business, so during their marriage they traveled in Idaho, Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.
Opal and Clifford had three boys: Bobby, who drowned on a vacation trip to Wyoming at age 7, Alan, who is now 67 and lives in Union, Washington, and Charles, now 70 and lives in Sparks, Nevada, and stepson, Richard Merrell 71 of Hawaii. Her husband, Clifford, died in 1953 after 12 years of marriage.
Opal continued her schooling, receiving a BA degree from Northwest Nazarene College at the same time her son, Alan, graduated from Meridian High School. She taught second grade at Cole Elementary, retiring in 1978 after a teaching career of 29 years. She says her greatest achievement was being a teacher. She continued to be active (she needed something to do) volunteering to help tutor students and received a letter of commendation from then Governor Evans, for her work.
A neighbor encouraged Dean Merrell, who was a widower, to get acquainted with this young widow who liked to go out to eat and go dancing. Dean didn't know how to dance, but he learned. They went dancing twice a week at the Eagles. They were married June 21, 1981. She and Dean went on several cruises and spent seventeen winters in Arizona. Always one to keep busy, Opal enjoyed crocheting, embroidery work and quilting. At age 69, she began lessons on the organ, and before moving to the Meadows, she played bridge once a week.
Opal has been an Eastern Star member for 62 years and until recently had been active in the United Methodist Women. She has received recognition at the Meadows Retirement Home for helping other residents. Her favorite foods are fried chicken and angel food cake. Opal was an inspiration to many.
She has six grandchildren, Michael Merrell, Toby Riddle, Amy Meredith, Casey Riddle, Cara Feneis, Susie Borchers, and ten great-grandchildren. Dean passed away in December 2009.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am on Saturday, August 24, 2013 at the Meridian United Methodist Church, 240 E. Idaho Ave. in Meridian.
Inurnment will follow the service at the Meridian Cemetery.
A reception will be held at the church following the graveside service.
To share memories with the family please visit Opal's memorial webpage at www.meridianchapel.com.