Jean S. Opel, 83, of Fort Myers, Fla., and formally of Cocoa Beach, Fla., died Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2016 at The Lodge of Cypress Cove in Fort Myers, Fla.
She was born Dec. 21, 1932 in DuBois to Irene (Rakestraw) and Lester E. Shugarts.
She married Lt. Colonel Donald M. Opel in 1971; he preceded her in death in 2010. The couple was married for 39 years.
She graduated from DuBois High School in 1950 and then enlisted in the U.S. Army, attending basic training from February until April in 1951.
Her military career consisted of posts, including NYC and Naples, Italy. After her military service, she continued her career in civil service with NATO in Paris, France and Brussels, Belgium.
Her civil service career also took her to posts around the globe from Germany to Vietnam. Finally, she and her husband, Donald, settled in Cocoa Beach, Fla., where she worked at Cape Canaveral. After her husband died, she relocated to Fort Myers, Fla., in 2014.
She is survived by her sister, M. Sue Ullery (Thomas) of Fort Myers, Fla.; her step-children, Kathryn (Mark) Dittman of Harlingen, Texas, Carlton (Anna) Opel of Panama and Christopher (Rita) Opel of Texas; and her grandson, Matthew Dittman. She will be missed by all, including her loving nieces, nephews and friends.
In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; her brother, William Rakestraw Shugarts; and her granddaughter, Margaret Dittman.
A Celebration of Life was held Monday, Nov. 21 at Cypress Cove in Fort Myers, Fla. Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Luke’s United Church of Christ in Luthersburg. Burial will follow in the church cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke’s United Church of Christ, P.O. Box 112, Luthersburg, PA 15848.
Local arrangements were handled by the Goble-Baronick Funeral Home in DuBois.