Services were held Thursday at Salas Brothers Chapel in Modesto for Opal R. Davis, 78, of Ceres-South Modesto. She died suddenly on August 17, 2007.
Burial was private.
Born May 7, 1929, Mrs. Davis was a native of Atkins, Ark., as the tenth child of 11 children. She didn't have the opportunity to attend school after the eighth grade, however, in 1958, after working long hard hours in the fruit and nut orchards she attended night classes and earned her high school diploma while raising four children. In 1963, she began night classes at MJC to become a nurses' aid and began working for Modesto City Hospital in 1966. That same year, Opal, her husband and youngest child were in a head-on collision caused by a drunk driver. Because her husband was permanently disabled, she returned to work as a Certified Nurses Assistant. In 1981, she challenged the state board and become a Licensed Vocational Nurse and retired from nursing in 1991.
After retirement, she got involved in making quilts. She also had become quite adapt at writing emails and had rekindled many long distance relationships with her family around the country.
Mrs. Davis was active with the ladies of Ceres Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving as a deaconess, member of the Dorcas Society and her prayer group, which she attended every week for the last 10 years.
She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, Chester Davis of Ceres; her four children, Jim Davis of Modesto, Linda McMullin of Lynnwood, Wash., Joe Davis of Escalon and Judy Smith of Ripon; one brother, Otis of Independence, Kan.; her sister, Elsie of Des Moines, Iowa; and six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Remembrances may be sent to Modesto Central Valley Christian Academy, 2020 Academy Place, Modesto, CA 95351.
-Ceres (Calif.) Courier /August 29, 2007
Burial was private.
Born May 7, 1929, Mrs. Davis was a native of Atkins, Ark., as the tenth child of 11 children. She didn't have the opportunity to attend school after the eighth grade, however, in 1958, after working long hard hours in the fruit and nut orchards she attended night classes and earned her high school diploma while raising four children. In 1963, she began night classes at MJC to become a nurses' aid and began working for Modesto City Hospital in 1966. That same year, Opal, her husband and youngest child were in a head-on collision caused by a drunk driver. Because her husband was permanently disabled, she returned to work as a Certified Nurses Assistant. In 1981, she challenged the state board and become a Licensed Vocational Nurse and retired from nursing in 1991.
After retirement, she got involved in making quilts. She also had become quite adapt at writing emails and had rekindled many long distance relationships with her family around the country.
Mrs. Davis was active with the ladies of Ceres Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving as a deaconess, member of the Dorcas Society and her prayer group, which she attended every week for the last 10 years.
She leaves behind her husband of 61 years, Chester Davis of Ceres; her four children, Jim Davis of Modesto, Linda McMullin of Lynnwood, Wash., Joe Davis of Escalon and Judy Smith of Ripon; one brother, Otis of Independence, Kan.; her sister, Elsie of Des Moines, Iowa; and six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.
Remembrances may be sent to Modesto Central Valley Christian Academy, 2020 Academy Place, Modesto, CA 95351.
-Ceres (Calif.) Courier /August 29, 2007
