Opal F. Philipps

A funeral service will be held for Opal Philipps at 1:00 P.M. Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at the McPeek-Hoekstra Funeral Home, 133 S. Prospect St., Granville with Pastor Tom Myers officiating. Visitation will be from 11:30 to 12:30 P.M. prior the service. Burial will follow at the Welsh Hills Cemetery, Welsh Hills Rd, Granville, Ohio.

Opal passed away peacefully at her residence on November 26, 2014 after a long illness. She was born on March 16, 1931 to Orrin and Isal (Upp) Turner in Knox County, Illinois and resided there until her marriage in San Diego, California in 1950. She was a 1948 graduate of Yates City High School.

Opal is survived by her children, Robert (Patti) Virginia Beach, VA, Carol (Gene) Zielinski, Brooks, OR, John (Debbie), Temecula, CA, and Glenn, Fallbrook, CA; 7 grandchildren; and 2 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by Phil, her husband of 63 years; her parents; 2 sisters; and 4 brothers.

Opal was a loving and devoted wife and mother to her family. Due to her husband's career as a submarine officer and with deployments months at a time, the responsibility of raising the children was primarily hers. She was the consummate homemaker, having moved 32 times in their marriage. Once the children were grown, she busied herself volunteering at various hospitals as a patient escort and gift shop attendant, and during the 5 years the family was stationed at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, she managed the Navy Relief Thrift Shop.

Opal was a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and belonged to many organizations including DAR, American Legion Auxiliary, and Fleet Reserve Associate Auxiliary. She was Past Worthy Matron of the Canton, IL Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. As always, she was supportive of all Phil's participation in his various organizations and stood by his side at the Rotary station for Ringing the Bell for the Salvation Army among many other activities.

The family would like to thank special caregivers Vicki Factor and the late Paula Tittle for their extraordinary care of Mom.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Licking County Animal Shelter, 544 Dog Leg Rd, Heath, Ohio 43056 or Foundation for Hospice of Central Ohio, P.O. Box 430, Newark, Ohio 43058.