She was born April 19, 1923 in Bristow, Oklahoma to Joseph and Bertha Dowdy. Opal was the fourth of eleven children. She married Lloyd Davis April 10, 1943 in Okemah, Oklahoma. They shared more than 60 years of marriage, until Lloyd's passing January 13, 2004. In 1945, during the Great Depression Opal and Lloyd moved to California they settled in Armona, where she lived until her passing.
Opal worked in the fields alongside her husband picking cotton and in her later years worked in canneries until her retirement in 1987. She liked to garden and quilt, she always had vegetables to share and beautiful flowers in her yard. She lovingly made quilts for her family thru the years. She loved to travel with her children and grandchildren. She made many trips to watch her grandchildren's sporting events and competitions.
Her love for her family was evident; she showed it in everything she did and every word she spoke. She was a true matriarch who provided unconditional love to her family. She led by example with strength and gentle wisdom. She always had a story to tell and something to share to enrich your life. Her legacy of strength, kindness and the importance of family will live on in the family she created.
She picked cotton while she was pregnant and often times with a baby strapped to her. Thru all of her hard work, she still tirelessly cared for her family cooking and c1eaming and supporting her sons in their sports. She cared for her grandchildren, passing on her cooking and baking skills. She lovingly made quilts for her family and shared that skill with her granddaughters and great-granddaughters. Time spent with Grandma may be spent playing on the floor with the spool cars she made. All of her grandchildren have memories of Grandma playing on the floor with them, with games, toys or coloring. She was extremely flexible, all grandkids had a lesson from her on how to do the splits or even back bends in her younger years. She made countless trips to Oklahoma with her family to visit. She enjoyed traveling to Blue Grass festivals. She always enjoyed traveling to watch her granddaughters sporting events and competitions. Every year all of her children and grandchildren that were in the area enjoyed Christmas breakfast at her house. She made fresh biscuits, gravy and all the fixins. When it became too hard for her to stand at the stove, she sat in a chair at the kitchen table and oversaw the cooking.
Opal is survived by her four children, Doyle (Karen) Davis, Barbara (Larry) Sawyer, Dorvel (Jolene) Davis and Dwayne Davis. Her 12 grandchildren, Shelly (Hector) Muela, Jeff Davis, Michael (Marci) Harp, Erin Vogel, Julie Martella, Richard Sawyer, James Sawyer, Shawna (Charles) Steinway, Stefani (Judd) Mynderup, Stacie (Zane) Ivie, Daniel (Rikki) Davis and Jennifer (Ethan) Williams. Her 23 great-grandchildren, Sarah Swafford, Ryan Swafford, Sondra Muela, Emily Harp, Cami Harp, Jack Vogel, Merribeth Martella, Allie Martella, Barbara Sawyer, Yuselmi Niccoletti, Dulce Campana, Benjamin Sawyer, Ellenor Sawyer, Jude Sawyer, Seth Steinway, Laney Steinway, Aubrey Mynerup, Kinsley Mynerup, Robert Ivie, Georgia Davidson, Adeline Davis, Jaxon Williams and Elijah Williams and four great-great-grandchildren Lillian, Olivia, Jonathan and Matteo. Opal is survived by her sisters, Cleffie (Clay) Wallin of Warner, Oklahoma and Mona Anac1eto from Hanford along with numerous nieces and nephews.
The family extends their deepest gratitude for her caregivers Rebecca, Amanda and Lorinda for their loving care and companionship.
