Opal Smith

Carmel - Opal B. Smith, widow of the late Harold B. Smith, died April 1, 2015. She was born, Oct. 5, 1918, on the Spencer Farm, on the Irish Rd. in Carmel. She was the second daughter of Peleg Dinsmore Bradford and Edith May Wheeler Bradford. They divorced, remarried, and her mother had a son and her father had five more children. Her mother died when she was eight, and she was raised by her great-aunt, Edith Spencer Storer. As a child, she was taught to fish and trap at the local streams by Ally White. She married her high school sweetheart, Harold B. Smith, after graduating from Carmel High School in 1936. Opal worked many years as kitchen supervisor at the Carmel schools, forelady at Bangor Shoe Manufacturing, and as a bookkeeper for C.M. Page Inc., of Orono. She also cooked at Bangor Theological Seminary and worked for Johnson's Florist in Bangor. She was a member of Carmel Union Congregational Church where she played the violin from 1933 until 1945. She started the local Carmel PTA and Carmel Senior Citizens Club. She was a founding member of the Carmel High School Alumni Assoc. and Carmel Historical Society. She was a member of the American Legion Aux. Post #7, of the John R. Chase Chapter of the Eastern Star, and she inspired the Bangor Singles Club from a letter written to the Bangor Daily News in 1968. She was very talented and could do everything from wiring a house to knitting, crocheting, embroidering, sewing clothes, canning fruits and vegetables, making butter and arranging flowers for centerpieces. She is survived by a son: Gordon Smith and wife Jacquelyn of Carmel, two daughters: Iris Oxley and husband Walter of Etna, Ina Jarvis and husband Robert of Carmel. Grandchildren; Vicki Murphy and husband Ron, Michele Smith and Dan Cookson, Shawn Smith and wife Phuong, Robert Jarvis, Jr. and wife Nanette, Renee Jarvis, and fiance Parris Bacon, Richard Nadeau and wife Terri, Randy and Kelly Nadeau. Great grandchildren; Nikol and Ethan Harris, Makelle and Seth Jarvis, Rebecca Leathers, Tyler Scanlon, Tanya Emery and husband, Mike, Ally Nadeau and Trevor Smith. Great, great grandchildren; Brooklyn and Kinley Emery. She has one living half - brother; Linwood Bradford and wife Shirley from Auburn and one Living sister-in-law, Carol Bradford from Lewiston. She was predeceased by her husband Harold B. Smith, her twin brother who died at birth, half-brothers: Peleg D. Bradford and wife, Magella, Elwood Bradford and Ransford Sewall, and wife Stella. Sisters: Barbara Small and, husband Arthur, Maxine Fogg and husband Linwood, Norma Alexander and husband, Paul, Iris Ellis and husband Omer and several nieces, nephews and cousins. She was also pre­ deceased by her beloved son-in-law, Richard Nadeau, Sr. Brother-in-law: Henry Smith and wife Helen, sister-in-law: Elva Graves and husband, Alva. She lived alone on the family farm until into her late 80's. Since then, she has shared her time with her three children and special best friend of 30 years, Ralph Pease of Appleton. She lived the final months of her life with her daughter Ina and husband Robert Jarvis. Special thanks go to St. Joseph's HomeCare for their special care and attention that they gave to our mother. Thank you Lynn, Diane, Marilyn, Heather and Renee. Relatives and friends are welcome to call from 6-8p.m. Monday, April 6, 2015 at the Brewer Chapel of Brookings-Smith, 55 South Main Street, Brewer where funeral services will be held 2:00pm Tuesday, April 7, 2015 with Pastor Mark Rustin from the Carmel Union Congregation Church, officiating. Relatives and friends are invited to share conversation and refreshments at the Family Reception Rooms of Brookings-Smith 55 South Main St., Brewer immediately following the service. Interment will be held later in the spring at the High Cemetery, Carmel. In lieu of flowers, gifts in her memory may be sent to Carmel Historical Society, P.O. Box 14Carmel, Maine 04419. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.