Opal Harris Green

Opal Mertice, daughter of Simmie and Clara McLauchlin, was born October 11, 1917 in Eustace, Texas. In 1935, she graduated from Eustace High School, where she was a popular cheerleader and class valedictorian. Two years later, she married her sweetheart Duard Harris, the father of her five “fine” sons. The couple moved to Houston in 1943, and though she loved the bustle of city life, Opal remained a country girl at heart. She reminisced about her childhood, her homestead, and “the Lewis bunch” frequently and lovingly.

Opal’s naturally sunny disposition was well-suited for her job in product promotion for Coca-Cola. She also took a great deal of pride in her vocation as a nanny, which allowed her to care for future doctors, lawyers, and teachers. But by far, the role that Opal most enjoyed was that of mother. She considered the rearing of her five sons and their children to be her “life’s work.”

Music held a special place in Opal’s heart. A skilled pianist, she provided accompaniment weekly during Sunday school. Visitors to Opal’s home were often serenaded by sound of her singing- sometimes before they even entered the house. Opal was a woman of faith, and her gospel hymns were a great comfort and pleasure to her up until the very last night of her life. On May 15, 2011, Opal passed peacefully from this earth in the company of her family, which she cherished more than anything else in the world. Even as we mourn her passing, we are blessed to have known a woman of such grace, such kindness, and such love.