Opal Kerney

CREVE COEUR - Opal Marie Kelly Kerney, 82, of Creve Coeur passed away at 11:36 a.m. Thursday, April 10, 2008, at Methodist Medical Center in Peoria.

She was born on Jan. 2, 1926, in Macon, Mo., to Walter Roy and Lula Marie (Roberts) Copenhaver. She married Herbert Stanley Cramer in 1944; he preceded her in death. She then married Robert William Kelly; he preceded her in death. She later married Charles Joy Kerney in 1987, and he preceded her in death.

Surviving are two sons, Ronald (Linda Van Etten) Cramer of Delavan and Patrick Michael (Diana) Kelly of East Peoria; five grandchildren, Michael Cramer of Creve Coeur, Gregory (Colleen) Cramer and Jody Birchard, both of Sarasota, Fla., Mike (Mallory) and Mark Kelly, both of East Peoria; and three great-grandchildren, Devin and Christina Cramer and Kevin Birchard.

Opal was a graduate of East Peoria High School and worked as a waitress and bartender at Lake Club and many area hotels and restaurants.

She belonged to the Caterpillar Retiree Square Dance Club in East Peoria; Wheel and Dealers of Creve Coeur; Circle Eight of Pekin; a member of the Moose; and she attended and helped clean St. Monica's Catholic Church in East Peoria with her mother for many years.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Monday, April 14, 2008, at Remmert Funeral Home, with visitation one hour prior to services. Father Kenneth Marchulones will officiate. Burial will follow the service in Fondulac Cemetery in East Peoria.

Opal was a cancer survivor, and the family asks that memorials be made to the American Cancer Society for further research.

Tributes and condolences may be submitted to www.mem.com.