Opal Dry Ford

Opal Dry Ford passed peacefully into the loving arms of the Lord on Sunday, January 31, 2010. Opal was born in Gary, Texas on April 28, 1922 to Perry H. and Lou Eva Mayer Dry. She moved with her family to Baytown at an early age and lived most of her life here.

After graduating from Robert E. Lee High School, she met the love of her life, Dr. Kenneth W. Ford and they married on Christmas Eve in 1941. Opal worked at Humble Oil & Refining for many years and after retiring, spent many hours playing bridge with most of her niece's and nephew's school teachers, always keeping up with their progress over bridge games. She and ""Chick"" loved traveling to every state in the country, as well as abroad, and enjoyed many trips with their friends in the San Jac Wheelers Travel Club.

After Chick retired from his dental practice in 1988, they moved to their ranch, the Diamond F Ranch, in Richards, Texas along with Opal's sister Ruby, and her husband, W. C., who also retired and owned the adjoining ranch. The four of them spent twenty memorable years in the country having coffee together on the front porch every day, meeting neighbors, making new friends, taking trips together, and enjoying many wonderful holiday gatherings with their families there over the years. Opal never let anyone leave her house without giving them something to take with them, whether it was a piece of her wonderful chocolate sheet cake, a jar of figs, or one of her favorite personal possessions. She loved and lived for her family. Nothing was more important to her and never having had children of her own, she loved spoiling her nieces and nephews. She was an elegant and admired lady and was so loved by all who knew her.

Opal was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Dr. Kenneth W. Ford, her sisters Ruby Reeves and Pearl Derryberry, her brothers-in-law W. C. Reeves and Ellis Ford, and her sister-in-law Marie Ford. She is survived by her niece Connie Reeves Cooke and husband Clayton, nephew Gary Reeves and wife Jacqueline, niece Sherri Hanson and husband Mike, great nieces Brandi and Skylar Hanson, great nephew Zachary Reeves, great nephew Brandon Hanson and wife Michelle, great nephews Forester, Corbin and Cameron Cooke, and her beloved dog, Sugar.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 at Memory Gardens on Garth Rd.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Houston Humane Society, P. O. Box 450528, Houston, TX 77245.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt thanks to Julia Morton, Amy Smith and the entire staff of Remington Park Assisted Living for their exceptional care of Opal during the past two and one half years of her life.

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Drive, Baytown, Texas 77521. (281) 422-8111.