Opal Marie Cross

Opal Marie Cross, 94, passed peacefully on November 15 to meet her Savior face to face. Our grief is met with hope, knowing that we can go to her in heaven. (I Corinthians 13.12, I Thessalonians 4.13-14).

She was born to Lawrence and Elizabeth Littrell on February 22, 1931, as the third oldest of 11 children. Early on, she demonstrated a steadfast love for her family, quiet strength, strong work ethic and wise stewardship of her resources.

On Christmas Eve 1947, she married Donald Curtis Cross, her loving soulmate for nearly 67 years until his passing in 2014. She said, “We lived a good, simple life.”

For decades, she served as a pastor’s wife. Whether her role was a Sunday school teacher, counselor, choir member, distributor of food baskets or popular contributor to pitch ins, she performed each role with her heart and soul.

Her home was a place of warmth, comfort and security. She began her family’s day with a hot breakfast, shuttled them to school, music and sports activities (oftentimes waiting in the car during snowy baseball practices and many piano lessons), helped with schoolwork and tailored a wide variety of apparel – including a beautiful red velvet formal gown and doll clothing.

Her traditional menus, as well as her signature holiday foods, were special to all. She reveled in her grandchildren’s hearty appetite for her chicken and noodles as well as pecan and butterscotch pies.

As an avid reader and perpetual scholar, she arose early each morning to study the Bible, biographies and books of great philosophers from which she often quoted.

She was a refined beauty with classic style. She loved beautiful scenery, mountains and flowers and drew charcoal renderings of still life.

Recently, she reminisced that family vacations in Gatlinburg, Norman Vincent Peale pastoral conferences in New York, and weekly visits to her homestead were among her favorite outings.

She is forever in our hearts: her son, James (Linda) Cross; granddaughter, Meghan (Matt) Krueger, great granddaughters, Adeline Marie and Aria Grace; granddaughter Sarah (Karl) Bloesch; and grandson Andrew (Tess) Cross; her daughter, Marsha (Dave) Meyer; grandson, Corben (Renee) Meyer, great granddaughter Faith Marie; and grandson Connor (Sarah) Meyer, great grandsons Callahan Psalm and Rory Elijah; her sisters Ruth Norman, Kay Sauer, Linda Sutherland, Rita (William) Paitson; brother-in-law Leon Sims; and many nieces and nephews.

Deepest gratitude to those who tenderly cared for Marie: Guardian Angels, Mulberry Healthcare and Buck Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

Visitation is at Hopkins-Rector Funeral Home, Greencastle, Indiana, on Thursday, November 20, from 11:00 am – 1:00 pm; service at 1:00 pm officiated by Rev. Don Matthews; benediction at Little Walnut Cemetery.