Opal Earline (Gilliam) Mincher

Opal Earline Mincher, nee Gilliam, of Steelville, Missouri passed away Monday, March 4, 2024 at Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan at the age of 89 years, 8 months and 1 day. Opal was born July 3, 1934 in Huzzah, Missouri to Donald Herbert Gilliam and Maggie Elizabeth Nelson Gilliam.

Opal was united in marriage to John “Leroy” Mincher on March 6, 1954 at Shoal Creek, MO and to this union two sons and one daughter were born.

She attended Cherryville School graduating in 1952. She was a former member of Shoal Creek Baptist Church. Opal was employed at the Brown Shoe Company in St. Louis and later at Bell Telephone in St. Louis and then retiring from Skinner & Kennedy Calendar Factory after 19 years. In 1987 she and Leroy moved back to the Shoal Creek area from St. Louis.

Opal loved to travel with her husband throughout the years exploring Alaska, Niagara Falls and other locations. She and her husband “Leroy” also traveled to the Smokey Mountains, Mount Rushmore in South Dakota and to Disney World in California on her husband’s motorcycle. Opal also enjoyed visiting her family and friends in nursing homes. In her spare time, she enjoyed crocheting, spending time doing Word Search puzzles and watching NASCAR.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Don and Maggie Gilliam; and husband, John ‘Leroy” Mincher; sisters, Francis (Lenwood) Blair, Halley (Louis) Stulce, Elizabeth (Haskel) Woods and Velva Gilliam; and sisters-in-law, Iline Gilliam, Betty Mincher and Pauline Hughes.

She will be missed by her two sons, David (Kathy) Mincher of Florissant, MO and Anthony “Tony” Mincher of Winfield, MO; one daughter, Regenia “Gina” (Ed) Godden of St. Peters, MO; one brother, Floyd Gillam of IL; brothers-in-law, Paul Hughes of Cuba, MO and Elmer Mincher of Wentzville, MO; six grandchildren, Crystal (Quentin) Klaas, Christopher (Karah) Mincher, David Matthew Mincher, Danielle (Andrew) Osterkamp, Phillip Bush and Tiffany Tubb; ten great-grandchildren, Mikayla Klaas, Austin Mincher, Aiden Mincher, Destiny Bush, Jace Bush, Quinn Klaas, Cale Klaas and Adam Mincher, Alex Mincher and Hazel Osterkamp; one great-great-grandson, Reed Bush; many nieces and nephews; other relatives; and friends.

The Family received friends from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 7, 2024 and from 9:00 a.m. until service time on Friday, March 8, 2024 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO.

Funeral Services were held at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, March 8, 2024 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home with Rev. Rick Dement officiating. Special music of "How Great Thou Art", "Amazing Grace" was played on piano by Melissa Marcus and sung by her and Linda Kessler. Other music of "I Want to Stroll Over Heaven With You" was played.

Committal prayer and interment were in the Skaggs Cemetery, Berryman, MO.

Honored to be casket bearers were Christopher Mincher, David Mincher, Quentin Klaas, Andrew Osterkamp, Phillip Bush, Austin Mincher and Aiden Mincher.

The Mincher Family was served by the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville, MO.

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