Opal Irene Meireis, 89, of Columbia, Missouri passed away surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, June 2, 2022. She will forever be remembered as a loving mother, nana, sister, aunt and friend to everyone she knew.
Opal was born on January 21, 1933, in Carter, Oklahoma, to Charles Elmer and Fannie Lee (Roland) Todd. She went to Beckham County School District in Carter, Oklahoma. She met the love of her life, Merle D. Meireis, and they were married on December 26, 1954. Together they raised their two children, Llnetta and Paul. Opal worked in the cafeteria at Deluxe Printing Company. She enjoyed spending time with her family and nothing gave her more pleasure in life than the times she spent with her grandchildren. Opal was a member of Center Point Baptist Church in Steelville, Missouri. She enjoyed sewing quilts for different church functions. Her beautiful smile and contagious laugh will be remembered by everyone who knew her. One of her favorite things to do was to sit and watch the hummingbirds. She will be sadly missed.
Opal is preceded in death by her parents, loving husband of 33 years, Merle D. Meireis; six brothers, William Clarence “Bill” Todd, Joseph Cullen “Dee” Todd, Thomas Floyd “Dick” Todd, Jack Todd, Leroy “Sonny” Todd, Woodrow “Woody” Todd; and three sisters, Alva May (Todd) Hager, Dorothy Gay (Todd) Atchley and Helen Jo (Todd) Lane Jones. She is survived by her sister, Beulah Fay Todd Caldwell of Northern California; her daughter, Linetta (Lynn) Holmes; her husband, Stephen, of Columbia, Missouri; and her son, Paul Meireis (Tanya), of Independence, Missouri. Left behind to cherish her memory are her five grandchildren: Nicholas Darwin Meireis (Courtney), Christopher Merle Holmes (Julie), Katherine Elizabeth (Holmes)Hartegan (A.J.), Cara Janean (Holmes) Ernest (Venelson) and Kyler Eugene Holmes (Paige).
A funeral service will occur at 9:00 a.m., Tuesday, June 7, 2022, at the McGilley & Frye Funeral Home, 105 East Loula Street, Olathe, Kansas 66061. The committal service is at 12:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 7, 2022, in Leavenworth National Cemetery, 150 Muncie Road, Leavenworth, Kansas, 66048.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: The Alzheimer’s Foundation.
Condolences may be offered at: www.McGilley-Frye.com
