Opal Dennis, 92

Funeral services for 92 year old Opal Dennis will be held on Saturday, February 10, 2024 at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home in What Cheer beginning at 10:00 am.  Burial will be held in the Sixteen Cemetery near Thornburg.  Visitation will be held on Friday, February 9, 2024 beginning at noon with the family present from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the Holland-Coble Funeral Home in What Cheer.  Memorials may be directed to the family to be distributed at a later time.

Opal Darlene McCombs Dennis was born February 15, 1931, at home near North English, Iowa, to Jay Leland and Zola Marie Shifflett McCombs. She had a sister, Ruth McCombs Bouslog, and a brother Wayne McCombs. Opal attended country school, then North English High School, graduating in 1948.

Opal married Billy Lyle Dennis on September 28, 1955. They farmed east of What Cheer for their entire married lives, first on the farm Bill’s dad had rented, then buying the “home place” as well as the rented farm. Opal worked many years for a lawyer as a young lady, as a secretary at the What Cheer pottery, at the county ASCS, at a law office in Sigourney, and, when most people would have retired, she learned the banking business and worked for Iowa Trust and Savings Bank in What Cheer.  She was working when the bank was robbed in June of 1997.

Opal kept busy with many volunteer opportunities over the years.  She worked alongside Bill with the Peter Britton Ruritan Club, the Keokuk County Fair, the What Cheer Flea Market, Figure 8 races, and the What Cheer Opera House, where she filled Bill’s board position upon his death in 2008.  She was an active member of the What Cheer Baptist church for many years, and volunteered at Tri-County Elementary for many years, mainly with the second graders. Opal was known for stepping in to help others, especially if any family member needed assistance.

Bill and Opal had two children, Lee Alan Dennis (Colleen) of What Cheer, and Laurie Ann Dennis Krumm (Doug) of Swisher. They were blessed with 5 grandchildren: Shannon Dennis, Keswick; Jay Dennis (Nikki), Marengo; Dustin Krumm (Darcy), Washington; Colton Krumm (Brianna), Palo; and Kenton Krumm (Amanda), Fairfax. Seven children enjoyed spending time with Great-Grandma Opal: Ayson, Jaxen, and Declan Dennis; Sullivan and Quinn Stanley; and Cashton and Rockton Krumm.  She was known to be a competitive board game player who usually played to win!  The grandkids and great grandkids had to learn how to lose sometimes.

Opal was preceded in death by her parents, her parents-in-law, Bill and Catherine Dennis; her husband Bill, sister Ruth Bouslog, brother Wayne McCombs, brother-in-law David Bouslog, sister-in-law and husband Arlene and Ed Grace, sister-in-law Barbara Dennis, sister-in-law Betty Storey Barrett; nieces Meri Bouslog, Pam Bouslog, Paula Thomas, Sally Davey, and Angela Dennis; nephews Phil and Darren Storey and Randall Dennis.

Opal is survived by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren; sister-in-law Sally McCombs; brother-in-law Dean Dennis, and brother-in-law Keith Dennis and wife Margaret; 13 nieces, 4 nephews, and numerous cousins.