Opal Miller
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Opal Miller died November 5th in Anchorage surrounded by her family. Born Opal Marie Hammond on June 13, 1931 in Rotan, Texas, she was the 2nd of 5 children to Claude and Sonnie Hammond.
She attended Wayland Baptist College for two years before transferring to California Baptist College. Thanks to the alphabet, she was the 2nd ever graduate from Cal Baptist and was the first member of her family to graduate from college.
She came to Alaska in the summer of 1954 for a missions assignment, where she met a young missionary from Mississippi name Dick Miller. He was attracted to her smile and gracious manner. They married on January 28, 1955. Their marriage lasted for 56 years until his death in 2011 and together produced 5 sons.
She partnered with her husband in ministry for their entire marriage in places like Kotzebue, Emmonak, Mountain Village, Sitka and Anchorage. In 1970, she and Dick bought a house and property on O'Malley Road and began O'Malley Road Baptist Church (now Hillside Baptist) where they lived and ministered for nearly 30 years. She and Dick taught school in Anchorage for many years, retiring from teaching in 1985, Dick from SAVE II and Opal from Abbott Loop Elementary, where she had taught 4th grade. In 1999 they moved to Homer, living there for 10 years before returning to Anchorage and settling at Chester Park. She and her husband loved to entertain guests, with their guest book serving as a timeline of their marriage.
Throughout her life she served the Lord - teaching Sunday School classes, playing piano and organ in services, and especially working with women's groups. In later years, she continued to minister to those around her by leading Bible studies at Immanuel Baptist Church and Chester Park.
In her final months Opal lived at Prestige Rehab and Care Center. She is survived by her 5 sons, Richard (Babette), Tom (Barbara), Philip (Carline), George (Kathryn) and John, grandchildren Crystal (Helen), Lindsey, Ricky, Sam, and Jack; great grandchildren Hunter and Franklin; sisters Wanda Ludlow (Edward) of Sitka, AK and Ruby Hammond of Las Vegas, NV. She Is preceded in death by her husband, Dick Miller, parents Claude and Sonnie Hammond, brothers Odell and Ed Hammond, and granddaughter Kaitlyn Miller.
Memorial Service will be held Saturday, November 23 2 PM at Immanuel Baptist Church 6748 Old Seward Hwy in Anchorage.
Please visit www.alaskanfuneral.com to leave online condolences.