Opal Auten Jones

Opal Auten Jones, 97, of Stephenville, passed away on Sunday, October 28, 2007, in her beloved home. She was born in Prairie Valley, Texas, on July 14, 1910, to Otis Lee Auten and Mary Ethel Auten. She attended school at Prairie Valley Public Schools and graduated as Valedictorian and Class Poet from Mary Hardin Baylor. She later received two degrees from Tarleton State University, the last being with highest honors. She was married to the late Reecie R. Jones on August 28, 1932. They were married for 70 wonderful years. She was a long-standing, active member of the First United Methodist Church of Stephenville, having joined in 1932 and having served as a member of the Board of Directors of the church and having taught Sunday School classes for over 25 years. She and her late husband were great supporters of Tarleton State University, having started the Reecie and Opal Jones Scholarship Fund and were inducted into the John Tarleton Society following Mr. Jones' death. Opal was the founder of the Current Readers Club of Stephenville, a member of the Maggie Poteet Circle, the Stephenville Study Club, the United Methodist Women's Club, and the U.A.W. She gave amazing book reviews on books such at "The Egyptian", in full costume, all over the state of Texas, for the benefit of the church. She had a photographic memory and her book reviews were done totally by memory. She was called the "Golden Voice". She was a Lifetime member of the Texas Federation of Women's Club and her name was put in their Golden Book. She was President of the P.T.A. serving several terms, a school teacher, an oil painting artist, a watercolor artist and a poet. Her daughter put together a book of her poems and stories and presented one to each of her children and grandchildren which will remain one of their greatest treasures from their mother/grandmother/great-grandmother. Her greatest achievement, in her eyes, was being a supportive wife to her husband in all that he undertook and a homemaker and mother to her two children, Larry and Linda Opal was preceded in death by her husband of 70 years, Reecie R. Jones and by one grandson, Scotty Wayne Chew. She is survived by two children, Larry Jones, of Stephenville, and Linda Graetz, of Florida, 3 grandchildren, Greg Jones, of Portland, Oregon, Kimberly Kowis, of Pearland, Texas, and Nicole Jones of Dallas, Texas. She is also survived by 7 great-grandchildren, Scotty Ray Jones, Kelsey Jones, Taylor Reece Chew, Alex Jones, Abbey Kowis, Aidan Kowis, and Paige Chew, and one brother,