Obituaries

Obituary: Opal Vincent Young

Opal Vincent Young, a beloved member of the Middleton and Memphis communities, passed away on Monday, August 12, 2024. She was born on August 3, 1930, in Middleton, Tennessee, the fourth of nine children, to her parents, Thomas Aubrey Vincent and Alma Octavia Pirtle Vincent.

Opal’s life was marked by dedication and service in her career and personal life. She graduated from Middleton High School in 1948 and went on to have a fulfilling career, starting as an operator with South Bell for five years before dedicating 45 years to Sears Financial. In the early 1950s, she moved to Memphis after marrying her husband, William J. “Bill” Young on January 28, 1951.

Opal will be remembered fondly for her culinary skills, especially for her renowned banana pudding. She had a passion for genealogies, never forgetting a birthday or anniversary, and was admired for her ability to memorize car tags and work with numbers.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she cherished her time with her family, especially at the family farm, and was a dedicated member of Colonial Baptist Church, where she cared for the “bed babies” in the nursery.

Services will be held at Shackelford Funeral Directors chapel on Friday, August 16, 2024, at 1 p.m. in Middleton with the burial in Reaves Cemetery. Visitation will begin one hour prior to the service at the funeral home in Middleton.

Opal is survived by her daughter, Dana Young Green and her husband, John of Memphis; her sons, Benjamin A. Young and John W. Young of Memphis; her sisters, Helen Vincent Tolbert of Memphis, Edith Vincent Pipkin, and Emily Vincent Mills and Marvin, all of Middleton, Katherine Vincent Perryman of Memphis, Sue Vincent Shelly, and Bobby, of Middleton; her grandchildren, Anna Dees and her husband, Stephen of Montgomery, Alabama, Spencer Green and Rossi of Columbia, South Carolina, and Taylor Young of Memphis; as well as her great-grandchildren, Parrish Dees, Walker Dees, Mac Teddy, and Bishop Green.

She is preceded in death by her husband, William J. “Bill” Young, her parents, and her brothers, Emmett Vincent and Wayne Vincent, and a sister, Jen-O Vincent Newman.

Opal Vincent Young’s memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew her. She leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, and unwavering dedication to her family and community. May she rest in peace.  Memorial contributions in her name may be sent to the Mid-South Food Bank or the Alzheimer’s Association or the charity of the donor’s choice.

Courtesy of Shackelford Funeral Directors, Bolivar, Tennessee.


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