OPAL MONTELL STONE, AGE 91, a resident of Charleston, died Monday, May 9, 2011 at the Charleston Manor.

Born August 3, 1919, in the Samos Community of Mississippi County, MO, to the late Onie Hammes and Irene Opal Bailey Gray, she had lived in Mississippi County most of her life. Shortly after marrying, her husband was drafted into the Army Air Corps as a corporal. Montell would go with him as she could and would make their home and immediately go to work. During that time they lived in Atlantic City NJ, Kansas City, Camp Murphy FL, Gainesville, FL, Childress, TX, Nebraska, Lake Charles, LA, and Houston, TX. At the end of World War II, they returned to Charleston where they made their home the remainder of their years. Montell was employed at the Brown Shoe Company in Charleston a number of years. A member of the First Baptist Church of Charleston, she was a member of the church choir for over 70 years, served as record keeper for the Children's Department, Vacation Bible School Worker and worked closely with Betty Hearnes and the children's choirs where she used her skills as a seamstress to create costumes ranging from bible characters to walking computers. Having a strong love for the Southern Baptist Missions programs, for over 50 years she created displays that were used to inspire and create an awareness of the importance of giving to missions both in the United States and around the world. She served as a volunteer Pink Lady at Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston every Monday for over 25 years and was a volunteer at the Charleston Nutrition Center.

On June 22, 1940, she married Col. Herbert Marshall Stone, Ret., who preceded her in death December 24, 2001.

Surviving are: nieces and nephews in law, Peggy and Martin Pazdera of Charleston; Sue and Mike Forbey of Stanford, VA; Ginger and Jim Crooks of St. Louis and Francis and Jim Morgan of Branson; also a number of great nieces and nephews and great great nieces and nephews.

One sister, Myoma Marie Smith, preceded her in death.

Visitation will be from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Thursday, May 12, 2011 at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m., Friday, May 13, 2011 at the First Baptist Church in Charleston. Dr. Joe Lewis, Staff Minister at Mountain Brook Baptist Church at Birmingham, AL and Rev. Michael Brewer, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charleston, will officiate. Betty C. Hearnes, will offer the eulogy.

Interment will follow at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery at Bloomfield at 1:00 p.m., Friday, May 10, 2011.

Honorary pallbearers will be: Phil Deason, Butch Smoot, Rick Smoot, Amp Sager, Roy Presson, Ray Presson, Eddie Barnhill, Glennon Johnson, Reginald Young, Ron Gray, Dr. Jim Heath, Joe Forrest and Paul William Hill.

Memorials may be made to:
The Music Fund
First Baptist Church
301 S. Main Street
Charleston, Mo., 63834

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com