Opal Jones

Opal Irene Jones of Garden City, Missouri, was born August 6, 1920, near Creighton, MO, the youngest daughter of Earl and Hazel (Giltner) Sites. She went to be with the Lord on April 15, 2016, at the age of 95 at the Kansas City Hospice House.
Opal and her 3 siblings were very active in helping their parents on the farm northeast of Creighton, Missouri. Her school years began at the early age of 5 because of a teacher's encouragement and Opal's advanced scholastic abilities. During her school years she not only did well scholastically, but also excelled in athletics as a basketball player. Her team was named all county champions, and she was elected to the Cass County Women's All Star Basketball Team in her senior year. This seems quite an accomplishment for such a petite little lady.
She was united in marriage to Paul Clemmings Jones on January 15, 1938. To this union four children were born, Brenda, Daryl, Joyce and Peggy.
Although Opal always said she didn't work "outside the home", for the next 50 years she worked as Paul's partner on the farm in whatever needed to be done. She fed and milked cows, worked in the hayfield, and performed any other outside chores as required. She was an accomplished seamstress and enjoyed making clothes for her daughters and cooked some of the finest meals known to all. No one left Opal's house hungry, or without a take-home bag. She raised a garden that would feed the entire family (and later grandkids) all year long, canning and freezing vegetables that tasted a lot better than "store-bought". She and Paul raised cattle, pigs and chickens to also take care of all the family needs. Maybe that was her secret to a long happy life...home grown food, hard work, and clean living.
Opal and Paul retired from the farm in 1988 and moved to Garden City, Missouri. In her retirement years, she was able to continue with a small garden, and enjoyed her flower beds. She enjoyed making quilts, which her children and grandchildren will enjoy for many years. In addition, she and Paul loved getting together with family and friends to play cards. After Paul passed, she continued her joy of playing cards with friends. She also volunteered at the Garden City Friendship Meals.
Opal enjoyed her church family, rarely missing a Sunday her entire life. She taught Sunday School classes and summer Bible school classes for many years. Her faith was strong.
Besides her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband Paul in 1994, her sister, Ruth Neill, and two brothers, Roy and Paul Sites, and Shelly Robinson, a step-granddaughter.
She will be dearly missed by son Daryl, Harrisonville, MO; daughters Brenda Schnorf and husband Jerry of Independence, MO; Joyce McCulloh and husband Chuck of Raymore, MO; and Peggy Robinson and husband Jack of Pleasant Hill, MO. She also leaves behind 7 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at the Dickey Funeral Home, Garden City, Missouri with burial in the Grant Cemetery near Creighton, Missouri.
Family will receive friends from 6:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, April 19, 2016 at the funeral home.
The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to the Garden City Friendship Meals or the Kansas City Hospice House.
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