Opal Ashley

COULTERVILLE, Ill. - Opal R. Ashley, 81, formerly of Charleston, Mo., died at 12:20 a.m. Jan. 14, 2003, at the Sparta Community Hospital in Sparta.

Born Oct. 24, 1921, in Reno, Ark., daughter of the late Jasper McDonald "Mack" and Velma Catherine Mitchell Williams, she lived in Charleston most of her life, where she was a member of Southside Baptist Church and taught Sunday school classes for many years. She was coordinator of RSVP services in the Charleston area and had been a teacher's aide and bus driver for the New Dawn State School in Sikeston for several years.

On Oct. 18, 1942, she married James Lewis Ashley who preceded her in death on Oct. 3, 1991.

Survivors include: two sons, James E. Ashley of Dandridge, Tenn., and Alvin Monroe "Pod" Ashley of Tildon; three daughters, Sharon Breuer of Okmulgee, Okla., Sandra Harvey of Charleston and Tracy Pendergrass of Lumberton, N.C.; one brother, Bob Williams of St. Louis, Mo.; one sister, Genevieve Brashers of Charleston and 16 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandson.

Also preceding her in death were three brothers, Charles Williams, Fred Williams and Harrison Williams; and seven sisters, Elsie Kidd, Wilma Jackson, Pearl Harrold, Merle Williams, Betty Shustric, Beth Richards and Frances Kuykendall.

Visitation is from 5 to 8 p.m. today at McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston, where services are scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday. The Rev. Ed Carter, pastor of Southside Baptist Church, and the Rev. Gerald Collier, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston, will officiate.

Burial will follow in the IOOF Cemetery near Charleston.

Memorial contributions may be sent to:

VNA of Southeast Missouri P.O. Box 768 Kennett, Mo. 63857