Opal Bernice Shillings' Obituary
A celebration of life for Opal Bernice "Gan" Shillings, 98, of Longview, will be held 1 PM Friday at Antioch Cemetery, near Center, Texas, with Reverend Scott Schulik officiating. Interment will follow in Antioch Cemetery. The family will greet friends on Thursday from 6 to 8 PM at Rader Funeral Home, Longview.
Mrs. Shillings was born December 25, 1913 in Center, Texas, to Jim and Oma Carroll Smith. "Gan" was a homemaker and a member of Mobberly Baptist Church. She grew up in the rural community of Carrolltown near Shelbyville, TX. Following graduation from Center High School, she married Oscar Shillings of Center. They moved to Longview in 1952 with their 5 children. Following the sudden death of her husband in 1957, Mrs. Shillings accepted her responsibility as a single parent, caring for her children with resolve and strength of character that was often referred to by others as amazing. The purity of her soul and mind and her strong religious beliefs were the guiding forces of her life. She will be dearly missed by her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren to whom she leaves a legacy of gentleness and devotion to God and family.
She was preceded in death by her husband Oscar and daughters Betty Ezell of Balch Springs and Elizabeth Childress of Longview, daughter-in-law Peggy Shillings of Longview, son-in-law Gene Childress of Longview, and son-in-law Leonard Breckenridge of Jefferson, Tx
Those left to cherish her memory are a sons, Jimmy Shillings of Longview and Danny Shillings and wife Carla of Longview, a daughter, Nelda Breckenridge of Jefferson, son-in-law Bob Ezell of Balch Springs, TX, 12 grandchildren, 28 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren.
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