Opal Knott

TORRINGTON, WYO... Funeral services for OPAL MAE KNOTT, 97, will be held at 10:30am on Saturday, December 30, 2006 at the Colyer Funeral Home Chapel with Pastor Curtis Hill officiating. Burial will follow in the Valley View Cemetery. Opal died on December 18, 2006 in Fort Collins, Colorado. Visitation hours will be held on Friday, December 29th from 1pm to 7pm at the Colyer Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family would request that memorial donations be directed to the Community Presbyterian Church at Lingle, Wyoming. Arrangements are under the direction of the Colyer Funeral Home and friends are invited to send condolences to the family at www.colyerfuneralhome.com Opal was born on November 15, 1909 in Republican City, Nebraska, the second child of six, to Alexander and Ethel (Sawyer) McMillen. The family moved to Lingle, Wyoming in 1917 when Opal was just a young girl. She grew up and received her education; graduating from Lingle High School in 1927. Opal met Donald Knott while in school and the couple married on March 23, 1930. They moved to the Knott farm and ranch where Opal became a top notch farm wife, of which she was most proud. Opal attended normal training and then four years at the University of Wyoming; becoming an excellent teacher. She taught school in Plainview, Six Mile, Lingle, Ft. Laramie, and Guernsey, Wyoming over many years. Opal and her husband raised four boys and put them all through the University of Wyoming. She and Donald loved the land and farm and devoted their time to chickens, hogs, beef, dairy , beets, beans, corn, alfalfa, and small grains. The couple were always finding ways to improve their skills for farming productivity. They also loved to travel and toured by auto the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Following Donald?s death in 1973, Opal stayed on the farm and continued with the dream of improving the farm. She joined up with a number of Lingle friends and continued to travel - Europe, British Isles, Hawaii, Jamaica, the Grand Cayman Islands, and the Panama Canal. Opal enjoyed crocheting, knitting, crafts and making dolls. She was an excellent cook and loved family dinners, community and church picnics and suppers. Opal was a 50 year member of Eastern Star Chapter 22 where she served in all chair positions, as well as Worthy Matron. Opal eventually had to retire from the farm and moved to Fort Collins, Colorado to the Worthington Senior Complex of independent living in 1993. She again continued to travel to Europe, Alaska, Canada, and the western States. Finally with failing health, Opal moved to an assisted living center in 2005, but a major fall in 2006, required a move to a nursing home re-hab center, and lastly to Hospice just this month where she passed away. She is survived by her four sons and daughters-in-law, Gayle and Diane of LaPorte, Colorado; Dwight and Dotti of Casper, Wyoming; Melvin and Marlene of Meridan, Idaho; and Allen and Laura of Gering, Nebraska; 12 grandchildren, and 27 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and four brothers.

Opal Knott

November 15, 1909 - December 18, 2006