Opal McCartney

OPAL McCARTNEY, age 86, of Dandridge, TN passed away Tuesday morning, November 10, 2015 at her home after a battle with congestive heart failure. She was born Feb 19, 1929 in Wolfe Co., KY, one of 12 children, the daughter of the late Jeff and Lou Taulbee. Opal grew up in a large loving family and helped maintain the family farm while all six brothers were in World War II. In a period of time before Kentucky provided public high schools, Hazel Green Academy began as a boarding school. The philosophy of the school is found in the statement by President William Frost of Berea College, “The mountain boys and girls should come in to school, be trained and sent back to their homes in the mountains, each becoming a bit of leaven to leaven the whole lump.” For the next four years until May 1949, Opal attended and completed high school at Hazel Green Academy where she worked at the school and took in ironing and extra chores to pay her own tuition. Opal enjoyed sewing from a very young age. After high school she went to work as a typist in the civil department of the U.S. Air Force. After marriage, three daughters, and a couple of cross country moves including, Topeka, KS, Fairhope, AL and Columbus, OH, she started quiltmaking. In 1966, she and her husband moved to Dandridge, TN and started the Dandridge Boat Dock. Every year from November to March during off season of the boat dock, Opal crafted and sewed patchwork quilts for sale and as gifts for special friends and family. For 35 years Opal and family continued operating the Douglas Lake business making many lifelong friends who became like family: Bertha and Howard Sears, Mack and Faye Blazer, Dude and Judy Brigman, Mildred and Wayne Yankee, Buddy Turpin and Agnes, the Tinglers, the Breedlove family, the Steele family and the Bachtels…the list goes on and on. She is survived by her daughters, Patricia Yates and husband Tommy; Joey Leggett; Lola Counterman and husband Matt; and Wendy Drummer and husband Donald; sister, Rachel Tester of Littleton, CO; brother, Lee Taulbee and wife Jeanette of Cookeville, TN; special beloved niece, Deanna Metts; grandchildren, Genny McClenic and husband JR; Karla Phelps and husband Brently; Kelly Dye and husband Brad; Lonnie Leggett and Diane; David Leggett and wife Kim, Lindy Jo Sullivan and husband Herb, Angie Hubbard, Amanda Strange and husband Andrew. great-grandchildren: Maylen McClenic, Landon Phelps, TK Hoffstetter and husband Brian, Isi and Kateland Leggett, Amber and Brandy Leggett, Garrett, Jonathan and Michael David Sullivan, Shayne and Claire Hubbard ; Calcifer and Artemis Strange. The family extends a special thanks to Amedisys Hospice caregivers, Nurse Michelle and Home Instead caregivers, Alisa and Karen. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Dandridge Ministerial Association (DMA) emergency food pantry located at 977 Industrial Park Road in Dandridge, TN 865-712-8905 – a place where Opal enjoyed donating garden vegetables, volunteering, friends & fellowship. Funeral services will be held Saturday, November 14, 2015, 4:00pm at Farrar Funeral Home Chapel in Dandridge, TN. The family will receive friends Saturday from 2:00 to 4:00pm prior to the service. Interment and burial will be held on Sunday, November 22, 2015 at 2:00pm in the Taulbee Family Cemetery in Campton, Ky. ARRANAGEMENTS BY FARRAR FUNERAL HOME, DANDRIDGE, TN