Hannibal Courier-Post (MO) - Wednesday, December 7, 2005
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Opal was born April 12, 1918, in Summer Hill, Ill., to John and Bertha Howell Boots and she left her earthly body and became our guardian angel Monday, Dec. 5, 2005, at Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield, Ill., surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Ward-Lummis Funeral Home in Pleasant Hill, Ill. The Rev. Howard Sallee will officiate. Burial will follow at Samuel Taylor Cemetery in Rockport, Ill.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, Dec. 7, at the funeral home.

Opal married G. Earl Motley on April 28, 1936, in Pittsfield. She worked as a cook at the Rockport School and had also been employed by Stark Brothers Nursery and Davis-Cleaver. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, Birthday Club, sewing, singing, music, reading, quilting, genealogy, visiting at the nursing home, and she wrote beautiful poetry. She was a kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Opal was a member of the New Canton United Methodist Church.

She is survived by two daughters, Joyce Martin of Liberty, Ill., and Sharon (Bob) Gates of New Canton, Ill.; a daughter-in-law, Etta Motley of Rockport, Ill.; a son, Doug (Carolyn) Motley of Bowling Green; two sisters, Frances "Nan" Buchanan of Frankford and Mary Conner of Louisiana; a brother, Donald (Evelyn) Boots of Van Buren; 12 grandchildren, Mark (Kim) Martin of Delores, Colo., Teresa Harbison and Susan Martin, both of Liberty, Ill., Brad (Becca) Motley, Bill Motley and Rhonda (Justin) Hanson, all of Rockport, Ill., Eileen Brush of Orrick, Rob (Jan) Gates of New Canton, Ill., Shelly Syrcle of Barry, Ill., Rodney (Rita) Motley and Chris Motley, both of Bowling Green, and Gina Motley of Elsberry; 23 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, G. Earl Motley, on Feb. 16, 1991; three sisters, Susie Grimsley, Maxine Cole and Lena Daniels; three brothers, Walter, Loyd and Leslie Boots; a son, Kenneth Motley; a son-in-law, Gilbert Martin; two grandsons, Marvin Harbison and Kevin "Red" Syrcle; and a great-grandson, Shawn Harbison.

Donations may be made to the New Canton United Methodist Church Building Fund or the Samuel Taylor Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hannibal Courier-Post (MO) - Wednesday, December 7, 2005
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Opal was born April 12, 1918, in Summer Hill, Ill., to John and Bertha Howell Boots and she left her earthly body and became our guardian angel Monday, Dec. 5, 2005, at Illini Community Hospital in Pittsfield, Ill., surrounded by her loving family.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, at the Ward-Lummis Funeral Home in Pleasant Hill, Ill. The Rev. Howard Sallee will officiate. Burial will follow at Samuel Taylor Cemetery in Rockport, Ill.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. today, Dec. 7, at the funeral home.

Opal married G. Earl Motley on April 28, 1936, in Pittsfield. She worked as a cook at the Rockport School and had also been employed by Stark Brothers Nursery and Davis-Cleaver. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, Birthday Club, sewing, singing, music, reading, quilting, genealogy, visiting at the nursing home, and she wrote beautiful poetry. She was a kind and loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Opal was a member of the New Canton United Methodist Church.

She is survived by two daughters, Joyce Martin of Liberty, Ill., and Sharon (Bob) Gates of New Canton, Ill.; a daughter-in-law, Etta Motley of Rockport, Ill.; a son, Doug (Carolyn) Motley of Bowling Green; two sisters, Frances "Nan" Buchanan of Frankford and Mary Conner of Louisiana; a brother, Donald (Evelyn) Boots of Van Buren; 12 grandchildren, Mark (Kim) Martin of Delores, Colo., Teresa Harbison and Susan Martin, both of Liberty, Ill., Brad (Becca) Motley, Bill Motley and Rhonda (Justin) Hanson, all of Rockport, Ill., Eileen Brush of Orrick, Rob (Jan) Gates of New Canton, Ill., Shelly Syrcle of Barry, Ill., Rodney (Rita) Motley and Chris Motley, both of Bowling Green, and Gina Motley of Elsberry; 23 great-grandchildren; and five great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, G. Earl Motley, on Feb. 16, 1991; three sisters, Susie Grimsley, Maxine Cole and Lena Daniels; three brothers, Walter, Loyd and Leslie Boots; a son, Kenneth Motley; a son-in-law, Gilbert Martin; two grandsons, Marvin Harbison and Kevin "Red" Syrcle; and a great-grandson, Shawn Harbison.

Donations may be made to the New Canton United Methodist Church Building Fund or the Samuel Taylor Cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~