Opal M. Williams, 93, of Cherokee passed away on Monday, June 29, 2026, at Accura Healthcare in Cherokee.
Memorial services for Opal will be held on Sunday, July 26, at 2 p.m. at Boothby Funeral Home in Cherokee. Sue Ritts will officiate. Visitation with the family present will be held an hour prior to services beginning at 1 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences may be left at www.boothbyfuneral.com.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials in Opal’s honor to CRMC Hospice, 300 Sioux Valley Dr., Cherokee, IA 51012 and other agencies to be determined.
Opal Mae (Inman) Williams was born May 9, 1933, to Orval and Velma Inman in the country home of John and Martha Inman near Norwood, Mo. She learned to hunt, had a trap line to help feed the family and skinned the animals to sell the pelts. She and her siblings milked cows, raised pigs and chickens, cut wood and worked in the garden. She attended Cornelius Country School, graduated from Norwood High School in 1951 and attended Draughon's Business College in Springfield, Mo. Opal met her future husband when Irvin drove his uncle and wife from Iowa to visit the in-laws. Opal was united in marriage to Irvin Williams in Cherokee on Sept. 27, 1953, and together they had two children, James and Susan. After the wedding, Irvin and Opal returned to Long Beach, Calif., while he completed his service to the United States Navy in October 1954.
Opal’s husband and children were the joy of her life. Reading was her favorite hobby; tracing the family lineage and connecting to that period in history was a challenge she loved. Opal was a leader for Cub Scouts with James and Girl Scouts with Susan. Opal learned to sew from her mother and continued with crafts such as quilting, embroidery, plastic canvas and other handwork/crafts. Opal entered items for over 60 years in needlework and canning and won numerous ribbons at the Cherokee County Fair, as well as winning ribbons in needlework at the Clay County Fair and Iowa State Fair. In addition, Opal volunteered for many years in the needlework and canning divisions at the Cherokee County Fair. Opal was a life member of the V.F.W. Auxiliary and a past member of the Pilot Rock Chapter of the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution) and CRMC Auxiliary.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Orval and Velma (Jones) Inman; an infant brother; sister-in-law Patsy (Ballard) Inman; nephew Timothy York; and sister Barbara (Inman York) Johnston.
Opal will be remembered with love by her husband Irvin of Cherokee; son James Williams of Salt Lake City, Utah; daughter Susan Williams of Cherokee; grandson Ian Williams of Salt Lake City, Utah; brothers: Kenneth Inman, John Inman and Ronnie Inman; many nieces, nephews and valued friends.
