Opal Louella (Smith) Wyckoff

Thursday, January 21, 2021

Opal Louella (Smith) Wyckoff died January 20th, 2021 on her 79th birthday surrounded by her loving family at her home after a short illness. She was born January 20th, 1942 to Ralph and Edna (Phillips) Smith at their home in Metz, Mo. She married William (Bill) Wyckoff on May 30, 1962 in Bronaugh, MO.

Upon graduation from Metz High School, Metz, MO, she began working at Nelly Don as a seamstress. After marrying William, they moved to Pittsburg, KS where he worked as a truck driver for the Van Tassel Company, and Opal enjoyed accompanying him on trips around the U.S. In May 1965, Opal and he opened Wyckoff’s Service Station and Café at the Junction of Highway 54 and 43. Opal did the bookkeeping, cooked, ran the café, and maintained the inventory for the mini-convenience store located in the station. In 1972, the business closed due to the expansion of Highway 54 into a four-lane highway. At that time, they bought a farm south of Deerfield, MO. On the farm, Opal took an active part in their farrowing hog business by raising her own group of hogs and keeping the books. In addition to the hog business, she and Bill also operated a successful pecan business. She handled the business side as well as picked out hundreds of cracked pecans for her many customers. When her customers picked up their pecans there was always time for a good visit.

Opal’s door was open for her friends and family to come in and chat at her kitchen table. She was a fantastic cook who hosted many family gatherings. She will always be remembered for her fudge and divinity, and her love of trying new recipes. She was a wonderful aunt who made special memories with each of her nieces and nephews, and she loved when they came to stay the night with her. She enjoyed watching the many birds on her feeders, and her cats playing at her back door. Her family was her life, and she loved them and cared for all of them. She will truly be missed by her friends, family, and neighbors.

She is survived by her brothers, Ralph (Bud) Smith and wife, Phyllis of Nampa, ID; Phillip Smith of Joplin, MO; Donald (Donnie) Smith and his wife, Nancy, Bronaugh, MO, brothers-in-law Wiley Wyckoff and his wife, Sharon, Nevada MO, Weldon (Butch) Wyckoff and his wife, Diane, Louisville, KY, sisters-in law Wanda Haley, Fort Scott, KS and Ronda Bailey and her husband Roger, Fort Scott, KS, and numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, William, and infant son, Terry Lawrence, two brothers, Paul and Richard Smith, two sisters-in-law Judy Smith and Wilma Carpenter, and one brother-in-law, Willard Wyckoff.

Services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 23, 2021 at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada with Pastor Roger Beach officiating. Interment will follow in Pleasant View (Large) Cemetery, in Garland, KS. Masks and social distancing will be required. Friends may call now and until the hour of service at Ferry Funeral Home in Nevada, MO.

Memorials may be made to Disabled Veterans in care Ferry Funeral Home.