Opal L. Finley

Opal Finley
Paullina, Iowa
Funeral services for Opal Finley, age 84, of Paullina who passed away on Saturday, June 5, 2021, at Good Samaritan Society Home in LeMars, Iowa. Her funeral service will be at 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, June 12, 2021, at Archer United Methodist Church with Pastor Jacob Sandholm ~ officiating.
Burial will be at Prairie View Cemetery in Paullina.
Visitation with family present will be from 5 – 7 P.M. on Friday, June 11, 2021, at the Eldridge Family Funeral Home in Paullina.

Opal Lucille Finley, daughter of Henry and Anna (Russell) Scheel, was born on May 27, 1937 in Sterling Colorado. She was a member of the Sterling Evangelical United Brethren Church throughout her childhood. In her junior year in High School, she met David B. Finley while he was a student at Northeastern Junior College. On September 26, 1954, they were united in marriage and began their lives together while Dave completed his education and ordination into the Evangelical United Brethren Church. They were married and deeply in love for 66 years.

During their life’s journey they lived in Indiana, Illinois, Colorado, Wyoming, and finally in Iowa, where Opal and Dave retired in Paullina, IA. When Opal was placed into the nursing home, Dave would drive every day to sit by her side and hold her hand. In October of 2020, they were briefly reunited in their shared room at the nursing home until his death on January 2, 2021. They had a wonderful life together, filled with so many dear friends and family. They had unlimited, wonderful memories to share with everyone they met. Now they are together again forever. God has granted them peace and never-ending happiness.

She was most recently a member of the Archer United Methodist Church. Opal loved being married to Dave, raising their three children together, and spending as much time as she could with her grandchildren and great grandchildren later in life. Opal worked many different jobs to help support their family and was involved in different church and ladies’ groups throughout their ministry. She enjoyed crafting classes, being a part of PEO, and loved her babies, being known as the church grandma in multiple congregations. She loved baking, and was best known for her delicious pies, chocolate cake, and chocolate chip cookies. Opal loved everyone she met and brightened every room she entered. Above all, she loved God and her family with all of her heart.

Opal was preceded in death by her loving husband, Reverend David Finley, Sr, her parents Henry and Anna Scheel, brother Donald Scheel, 3 sisters – Loeva Bloom, Marjorie Scheel, and Alberta Magill, 2 sister in-laws - Coleen Scheel, and Joyce Scheel, and granddaughter Rachael Finley.

She is survived by 2 brothers – Russell Scheel and Vernon Scheel; her children and their spouses - David Finley, Jr (Jessie), Terri Lynn Tesch (Terry), Douglas Finley (Joanne); eight grandchildren – Eric Finley (Erica), Shannon Tesch (Katie), Kelvin Finley (Airreanna), Michelle Hemmingson (Travis), Diana Silva (Eric), Ana Finley, Meghan Finley, and Benjamin Finley; and twelve great-grandchildren.

Thank you all for being a part of our parents life,

David, Terri, and Doug