Opal A. Garner

Opal A. Garner, age 84 of Valparaiso, died Sunday, September 1, 2013 in Omaha. She was born December 12, 1928 at Rochelle, IL to Ray and Hazel (Clapper) Miller. She was raised in Rochelle, IL where she married her high school sweetheart, Jeane Garner, on October 5, 1946. Opal survived rough times through the Great Depression and persevered as a still loving and strong individual. She raised her children in a strict and loving home and brought all people into her family. She touched many lives and will be missed by all. Opal was preceded in death by her husband Jeane, son Gene, daughter Marilyn Ochoa, grandson David Ochoa, great-granddaughter Melissa Brown, and brothers Ronald Bradley, Frank, Harvey and Paul Miller, and sister Connie Miller. She is survived by her sons Gary (Cathy) Garner of Valparaiso, NE, and Gregory Garner of Spring Grove, IL; son-in-law Lupe Ochoa of Spring Grove, IL; daughter Blanch (Steve) Kwasiborski of Blue Springs, MO; sister-in-law Kay Bradley of Crystal Lake, IL; 12 grandchildren; 30 great-grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held at 10 am Friday, September 6 at Strang Funeral Home in Antioch, IL. Visitation will be Thursday evening, 4-8 pm at the Strang Funeral Home. Casket Bearers will be Leif Simonitsch, Dave Bublitz, Terry Garner, Jeffrey Bateman, Christopher Carlson and Paul Garner. Serving as Honorary Casket Bearers will be Jason Dryden, Charles Weirich and Brandon Focher. Interment will be at Millburn Cemetery in Antioch, IL. Memorials may be made to the family.