Opal Margaret Akin Gould

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Opal Margaret Akin Gould, 94, Martinsburg, W.V., formerly of Nevada, went to be with the Lord on Monday, May 25, 2009, at her residence. She was born May 15, 1915, to William Clay Akin and Maudie Viola Armes Scott Akin at Mountain View, Mo., Howell County. They moved to Vernon County on March 1, 1920. She married William Smith Gould in Nevada, on Sept. 22, 1939. To this union was born Nettie Marguerite and Bettie Katherine.

Opal graduated from Walker High School, Walker, Mo., in 1932. She graduated from Missouri State Teachers College, Springfield, Mo., in 1936. She taught school at Richards, Mo., from 1936-1940, rural Board School near Nevada, from 1940-1941 and 26 years at Nevada R-5 School District, Nevada, Bryan School 1951-1972 and Benton School from 1972-1977.

Bill died July 9, 1988. She moved to Martinsburg, W.V., in 1998 to live with her daughter Nettie and husband Tony Atkinson. She was a member of the United Methodist Church in Nevada, Helping Hands Circle, United Methodist Women, and Friendship Group of the church, and attended Greensburg United Methodist Church, Martinsburg. She was a former member of the Retired Teachers of Nevada R-V, National Retired Teachers, American Association of United Women, Walker 4-H and Vernon County 4-H.

Opal was the last of her immediate family. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, brother, sister, and son-in-law Tony Atkinson.

Survivors include her daughters, Nettie M. Atkinson, Martinsburg, W.V., and Bettie K. Forsythe and husband Robert R. Forsythe, Scott City, Mo.; six grandchildren, Mary Margaret Zygmunt, Frederick, Md., Erich William Gould Atkinson, Baker, W.V., Anne Marie Ambuul, Martinsburg, W.V., Katherine Alison (Katie), Martinsburg, W.V., Natalie Dawn Mays, Cape Girardeau, Mo., and David Wayne Forsythe, St. Louis, Mo.; 17 great-grandchildren, one niece, six nephews, two sisters-in-law, and two brothers-in-law.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., on Saturday, May 30, at Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada, with the Rev. Ralph Clark officiating. Interment will follow in Moore Cemetery, Nevada. Friends may call now and until the hour of service and the family will receive friends 7-8 p.m. on Friday, May 29, at the funeral home.

Those who wish may contribute to the United Methodist Church, Nevada, in care of Ferry Funeral Home, Nevada.

View obituary and send condolences online at www.ferryfuneralhome.com