Opal G. Griffin Collins
Opal G. Griffin Collins passed away July 13, 2022 in Spanish Fort, Ala., surrounded by loved ones. She was born to Harmon Rannels Griffin and Althea Corrine Windham Griffin on Aug. 4, 1929.
Visitation services will be 5-7 p.m. Friday at Memory Chapel Funeral Home in Laurel. A celebration of her life is set for 10 a.m. Saturday at Memory Chapel Funeral Home. The burial will follow at Hickory Grove Cemetery. Brother Thomas Cochran and Brother Paul Rodgers will officiate.
Together with her husband, Opal owned and operated Collins Studio in downtown Laurel, where she famously “made” pictures with her oil-painting talents. Throughout their 51 years of marriage, they enjoyed summers with their family and friends at their Florida beach house, but perhaps their favorite place of all was their beautiful farm outside of Ovett. This is the place where Bill and Opal would fish, garden and spend all day in the kitchen cooking just so they could share it all with others. Every meal she prepared was like a Thanksgiving feast. Downtime was spent either in a rocking chair on the front porch or gathered around the piano singing old gospel songs followed by hours of flipping through dozens of photo albums.
Many family members would testify that her prayers brought them through some of the hardest times of their lives, along with the brutal honesty that came with her advice. She encouraged all her children and grandchildren to pursue a relationship with Jesus and a quality education, leading most of her family to careers in either music, ministry, or teaching.
Opal was an avid supporter of young people, whether it be through her guidance as a Girl Scout troop leader when her daughters were young, a mother figure to many of her children’s and grandchildren’s friends, the hundreds of senior portraits she helped capture or the support she gave to the youth of Faith Baptist Church over her many years of membership.
Opal was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Bill; brothers Sidney, Cranford, James and Curtis; sister,Althea; and daughter-in-law Rosemary Collins.
She is survived by her children Brenda Jefcoat of Meridian, Danny Collins (Sallie) of Ovett, Pam Lewis of Ellisville, Patsy Rodgers (Paul) of Lago Vista, Texas, Carol McElroy (Buddy) of Meridian, Stacy Collins (Jacqueline) of Spanish Fort and Stan Collins of Clearwater, Fla.; her grandchildren Kevin Jefcoat (Vanessa), Patrick Collins (Jessica), Rachel Lagos, Chad Lewis (Jamie), Jeremy Rodgers (Elsbeth), Baily Collins (Donna), Amy Hobson (Landon), Cassidi Hankins (Jarrod), Dakota Bush, Lindsay Collins, Griffin Collins and Oliver Collins; 18 great-grandchildren, Zach, Kaleb, Nefeli, Perseus, Rylie, Loralyn, Paul, Estelle, Mae, Daniel, Audrey, Maycie, Suzie, Jolie, Levi, Ford, Collin and Brenton; and a host of nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers will be Kevin Jefcoat, Patrick Collins, Chad Lewis, Bailey Collins, Dakota Bush and Griffin Collins. Honorary pallbearers will be Jeremy Rodgers, Oliver Collins, Phillip Griffin and David Griffin.
To sign the online guestbook, visit www.memorychapellaurel.com.
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