Obituary for Opal E. Bridwell Opal E. Bridwell, 99, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, passed away November 14, 2018 at Davis Hospice Center. She was born March 12, 1919 in Ogallala, Nebraska, to Pearl Belle Robinson and Alva Newton Simpson, the second of six children. She was raised on the Keith County ranch her father homesteaded in 1913.
Opal’s first years were spent working on the ranch – milking cows, feeding pigs, raising turkeys, haying and combining. She liked doing those chores. She graduated from Arthur County High School in 1938 as valedictorian and won a Regents Scholarship to the University of Nebraska.
Opal and LaVerne Bridwell eloped December 24, 1938 and they had three daughters, Melba, Shirley and Beverly. She instilled many important qualities in her daughters – living by the golden rule and a sense of respect. As a child of depression and WWII (where she welded in the Richmond shipyard), Opal taught her daughters by example the importance of saving, thriftiness and hard work.
Opal taught in country schools for 10 years in Nebraska then earned her BA Degree at the University of Wyoming in 1967 and taught elementary school in Cheyenne for 12 years. Opal enjoyed her grandchildren and loved spending time with them. She was a great cook and her family fondly remembers her pies, potato salad and meatloaf.
In 1962 they moved from Nebraska to Cheyenne. In their retirement, they owned a house at Lake McConaughy in Nebraska, and traveled to Arizona, eventually buying a home in Mesa where they wintered for 16 years. In 1992 the couple professed their desire to serve God.
After her husband died, she returned to Cheyenne where she enjoyed fellowship meetings and hosted Bible study in her home. Opal loved playing games including scrabble and Wii Bowling. Her parents; husband; brothers, Robert Simpson and Dean Simpson; and sisters, Vera Griffith, Lila Piihl and Verna Cinnamon preceded her in death.
Opal is survived by three loving daughters, Melba (Delbert) Sibert, Shirley Augustin and Beverly (Gary) Grunkemeyer; eight grandchildren, Monte Sibert and Scott Sibert, both of Cheyenne, Kelly (Edward) Maneth of Olmitz, KS, Mark (Deborah) Augustin, of Laramie, WY, Toni (Craig) Brommer of Cheyenne, WY, Kurt (Lisa) Augustin of Laramie, WY, Jeffry (Andrea) Grunkemeyer, Hofstetten Switzerland and James (Heidi) Grunkemeyer of Omaha, NE; 18 great-grandchildren; 18 great-great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and two sisters-in-law, Irene Simpson and Norma Simpson. A memory service will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 21, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the Lakeview Chapel at Schrader, Aragon and Jacoby Funeral Home. Interment will be held at a later date in Edgar, Nebraska.
Memorials in Opal’s honor may be made by contributing to Davis Hospice Center or College of Education, University of Wyoming. To send flowers to the family of Opal E. Bridwell, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
