Obituary of Opal Brinlee

Opal Lee Brinlee, age 86, passed on to be with her Heavenly Father and Lord Jesus Christ on Sunday, November 17, 2013 at her Wesley Oaks residence in Sulphur Springs, Texas. She was born on November 14, 1927 to Vernon and Lela Mae Alexander in Lamesa, Texas. Opal graduated from Lamesa High School in 1945. She attended Jacksonville Baptist College where she married the late Hoyt Brinlee who was a bi-vocational Southern Baptist Pastor. Opal was a housewife for many years. They pastored in Weatherford, OK and Flower Grove, TX. Afterwards, they moved to east Texas where they served churches in Bogata, Saltillo, and Newsome. The couple had three children. Opal’s oldest two children Darrell Brinlee and Lynda Brinlee Davidson were graduates of Mt. Vernon High School. Opal moved to Sulphur Springs, Texas in 1968 with her youngest child Sherry Brinlee (Garrard) Chester who was a graduate of Sulphur Springs High School. Opal went to work in the Hopkins County District Clerks Office. Later, she was a secretary at First Baptist Church. Then, returned to work at the Courthouse where she retired from the County Clerk’s Office. Opal also worked in the meat market on Saturdays at Piggly Wiggly. Her strong work ethic and perseverance were evident as she quietly lived out her faith in practical ways. She was a faithful member of First Baptist Church and a member of Love Sunday School Class. People often commented on Opal’s sincere and contagious smile, her gentle, sweet spirit along with her strength and diligence to walk most everywhere she went well into her mid 80’s. Many a community member would offer her a ride. They were the ones blessed if she accepted the offer. On days when she said, “No, thank you,” Opal was grateful for such a kind and caring town that befriended her whole-heartedly. Opal was a loving mother, doting grandmother and great grandmother. Survivors include three children: a son Darrell Brinlee and wife LaHoma of Ponder, TX; daughter Lynda Brinlee (Williams) Davidson and husband Paul of Mt. Pleasant TX and daughter Sherry Brinlee (Garrard) Chester and husband Maxie of Sulphur Springs, TX. Opal’s living legacy includes six grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren: granddaughter Tanya Williams (Gallagher) Holden and husband Lewis of Coppell, TX, and daughter Katie Gallagher of Nashville, Tennessee; grandson Keith Williams, wife Carrie and daughters Kaylee, Lily, and Trinity of Allen, TX. Other granddaughters and great grandchildren include: Jennifer Nicole (Garrard) Wenneker, husband Jeremy and their four children Aliyah, Zadok, Benaiah, and Obed of Centerville, Tennessee; Sheryl (Garrard) Huddleston, husband Jonathan and children Jochebed and Josiah of Greenville, TX; granddaughter Allison (Garrard) Thompson, husband Travis and daughter Hannah of Saltillo, TX; and granddaughter Kimberly Anne Garrard of Centerville, Tennessee. Other survivors include a younger sister, Lillian Tidwell and her late husband Paul of Huntsville, Texas along with a brother, Conrad Alexander and wife Joyce of Austin, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 20, 2013 at West Oaks Funeral Home Chapel with Howard Petty and Dr. Joel Tiemeyer officiating. Interment will follow at Sulphur Springs City Cemetery. Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m., prior to service time. Pallbearers include: Mike Briley, Lewis Holden, Jeremy Wenneker, Jonathan Huddleston, Travis Thompson, and Justin Parmer. Honorary pallbearers include: Tommy Allison, Bill Glover, Jim Haney, Tim Kelty, William McDowell, David Moore, Joel Sheffield, and Joe Pogue. Arrangements are under the direction of West Oaks Funeral Home. www.westoaksfuneralhome.com