November 17, 1925 - July 15, 2015
Opal E. Judd, age 89, passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning, July 15th in the company of her daughters. She was born on November 17th, 1925 to Arthur L. Sanders and Francis C. (Morrow) Sanders in Kent, Oregon at her grandparent’s ranch, Hal and Nora Morrow. - She was preceded in death by her parents, four husbands, her sister Elsie E. Worley, and her brothers Joseph H. and Bill G. Sanders. - Opal is survived by her brother Alton L. Sanders, daughters Barbara L. Sailor, Leslie J. Ahrens, Laura L. Mears, Jennifer R. Beard, Lisa A. Cavanaugh, and grandchildren, Eli VanWyck and Lauren A. Beard. - She was a professional country western singer for years. Our mother surrounded her children with gift of music, art, and literature….reading to us from infancy, gifting us clay to play with, and always with a song on her lips, and in her heart. From yodeling and singing on horseback while herding cows as a child, to performing on stage in the country western band Bell Star and the Outlaws, she embraced music all her life. - Her love for gardening and the joy she found in a good book was an everyday part of her life. Always a busy hand, she would draw whenever she took notes or put pen to paper. Her love of nature blossomed in her garden year after year. - A celebration of life will be held for family and friends, announcement to follow. Any memorial contribution may be made to your choice of lung cancer research foundations.
