Opal Young

(From Konantz Warden Funeral Home)

Opal Irene Young, 88, of Lamar, MO passed away at 6:02 PM on Wednesday March 20, 2024 at Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Lockwood, MO after a lengthy illness. 

Opal was born June 19, 1935, northeast of Milford, MO in the home of her parents, Tom and Katherine (Twaddell) Gardner. She went to Valley and Milford rural schools and graduated from Lamar High School in 1953. 

During her senior year of high school, she was employed in the office at RPM (later to become Lawn-Boy Mfg.) After her marriage, in 1953 to Edwin Sims she became a housewife, mother of four children, helped with farming and worked a short while for Big Smith Mfg. 

It was when her youngest son was in kindergarten that Opal became employed by the late Madeline Aull Van Haffen and the late Stan White at the Lamar Democrat as a receptionist and circulation manager. She worked, under several different owners, for 26.5 years at various jobs at the Democrat.

Opal spent her last three years at the Democrat as a news/advertising coordinator where her personal columns became widely read. She then went to work as the office manager of Lohmeyer-Konantz Funeral Home, in Lamar, retiring in December 2000. 

She married Lewis “Vern” Young December 19, 1997, in Laughlin, Nevada. After Vern, who was a country/bluegrass entertainer, moved to Missouri one of her greatest joys was to travel with Vern and help him with his many musical performances throughout the United States. They also did a great deal of traveling to different parts of the United States visiting with family and bluegrass fans when musical engagements weren’t involved. 

Survivors include four children, Nancy Trotter, Lamar, MO; Kenny Sims and his wife, Tina, of Nixa, MO; Kimala Dodson, Olathe, KS; and Bradley Sims and Kim Burns, Stockton, MO; stepson, Audie Young and Diane Morganti of Rochester, N.Y.; sister Kay Marti of Lamar, MO, six grandchildren; Joshua Trotter, Kracinda Sims, Kee Sims and wife Mindy, Dakota Dodson and wife Frankie, Damon Dodson and Kalli Dodson, and five great-grandchildren Patience Elders, Gabe Greenway, Camilla Sims, Parker Dodson, and Grant Dodson. 

She is preceded in death by her husband, Vern Young, brother Forrest Wayne Gardner, sister Helen Jean Marti and stepson Steve Young. 

If you would like to make a contribution in lieu of flowers the family suggests American Cancer Society or St James Cemetery in care of the funeral home. The family will receive visitors on Thursday March 28, 2024 from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM and a funeral service will be held on Friday March 29, 2024 at 2:00 PM at Konantz Warden Funeral Home.