Individual Details

Death

Opal Gay Demastus, 93, of South Charleston, was surrounded by her family when she went home to be with her Lord early on Saturday morning, August 11, 2007, after a long illness. She was a founding member, choir leader, and teacher through the years at Mountain Heights Church on Spring Hill Mountain. She retired from CAMC Memorial Hospital in 1976. Opal's strong faith in the Lord shone through in her efforts of helping others. She was an example and an inspiration to many throughout her life. She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell E. Demastus; daughter, Anna M. Goodwin; father and mother, Lawrence and Anna Furr; one brother; and three sisters. She was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great-grandmother, who will be missed by all. Opal is survived by two sons, Thomas and wife Carolyn of Holden Beach, N.C., and Rusty of Fairmont; daughter-in-law, Tina Demastus of Kingsland, Ga.; daughter, Juanita and husband Jim Cunningham of Charleston; son-in-law, Jerry Goodwin Sr. of Poca; grandchildren, Juanita Demastus, Ramona Hlavinka, Vanessa Demastus, Kim Mallory, Kitty Lamb, Jerry Goodwin Jr., Karla Racer, Debbie Estep, Mike Goodwin, Bobby Cunningham, Ann Marie Messier, and Rusty Demastus; 23 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren; brother and sisters, Ray Furr, Bernice Abel, and Louella Orsini, all of Fairmont. Family and friends will visit from 7 to 9 p.m. on Monday, August 13, at Mountain Heights Church on Spring Hill Mountain. A service to honor the life of Opal Gay Demastus will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, August 14, at Mountain Heights Church with the Rev. Benny Pauley, the Rev. Tim Oakes and Lloyd Kouns officiating. Burial will follow at Graceland Memorial Park. The family would like to express their gratitude to Hubbard Hospice House, with special thanks to her nurses, Becky Pritt and Angie Barr. They also request in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to Kanawha Hospice Care, 1143 Dunbar Ave., Dunbar, WV 25064. Snodgrass Funeral Home, MacCorkle Ave. SW, South Charleston, telephone 304-768-7324, is handling the arrangements.