• Funeral: 12:00 Noon Tuesday, December 21, 2021 in the Jones-Preston Funeral Chapel
• Visitation: 11:00 a.m. until time of service at 12:00 Noon Tuesday, December 21, 2021 at Jones-Preston Funeral Home
• Burial: Highland Memorial Park, Staffordsville, Kentucky

Opal Oneida Wilcox Chandler, age 97, passed away Thursday, December 16, 2021 to enter the Gates of Heaven.

She was born in Johnson County, Kentucky to Everett and Grace Wilcox. Opal was blessed to have six siblings, Mary Alice Wilcox, Violet (Buell) Skaggs, Jean (John) Conley (Paul McFaddin), Everett (Judy) Wilcox, Helen (Jim) Stricklin and Phoebe (Junior) Womack. She was preceded in death by all of her parents and all of her siblings, except for her baby sister, Phoebe Womack.

She met the love of her life, James Chandler in 1946. They married that same year and were blessed with three children, Cynthia (Jimmy) Blair, Connie (Ray) Nichols and Jimmelyn (Jim) Scoby. Sadly, Jimmelyn passed in 2020.

Opal went to Mayo Vocational School in her early years and studied business. She worked in department stores until motherhood became her full-time vocation. During this time, she was President of the PTA, a Sunday School teacher, a Bible School teacher and belonged to the Homemaker's Club. Upon moving to Springfield with her family, she worked in alterations at Wren's. She later went to Clark State and became a nurse, later retiring from Mercy Medical Center.

Her grandchildren and great-grands were the light of her life. She leaves to make this a better world, Mark (Paula) Blair, Christy (Scott) Benton, Amy Allender, Andy Nichols, Dustin (Kristen) Stewart, Allison (Noah) Sebastinas and Brett (Kelsey) Stewart; great-grandchildren, Caitlyn, Zach, McKenna, Cooper, Morgan, Brooklyn, Hayden, Addisyn, Brady and Jayden. She also leaves behind many loving nieces and nephews.

Opal's family would like to thank Forest Glen Health Campus for their care, compassion and support. Opal loved poetry, gardening, reading, embroidery, learning and traveling, especially going back home to Kentucky as often as possible. She was dearly loved by her family and will be missed.

Funeral services will be held 12:00 Noon Tuesday, December 21, 2021 in the Jones-Preston Funeral Chapel with Barry Womack officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Memorial Park, Staffordsville, Kentucky. Friends may visit the Jones-Preston Funeral Home from 11:00 a.m. until time of service at 12:00 Noon Tuesday, December 21, 2021.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Opal's honor to Oil Springs United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 94, Oil Springs, KY 41238.

Funeral service will be Live Streamed via Jones-Preston Funeral Home Facebook page.

Those attending the visitation and/or funeral, we suggest a facial covering.

Jones-Preston Funeral Home is both Honored and Privileged to be Entrusted with funeral arrangements for Mrs. Opal Oneida Wilcox Chandler.