Opal Marie Abbe, 99, of Friendship Village, died Tuesday, February 15, 2005, at Covenant Medical Center. She was born on August 2, 1905, in Eden Township, Benton County, Iowa, the daughter of Alva M. and Emma (Mitchell) Thompson. She married Allen “Frank” Abbe on April 16, 1924, in Marion, IA. He died on March 30, 1991.

Opal graduated from Vinton High School in 1922, attended Normal Training School and University of Iowa. She went back to UNI in 1956, at the age of 51, and graduated Cum Laude in 1959. She taught at Orange School from 1959, until 1969, and then tutored for 5 years after retiring. Opal was a member of Central Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) since 1934, belonged to the Waterloo Women’ s Club, and volunteered with R.S.V.P. for 20 years. She was an avid bowler and bowled in a senior league until she was 94. She and her husband, Frank received the “Service to Mankind” award from the Waterloo Sertoma Club in 1976, for significant and meritorious service.

Opal is survived by her daughter, Bertha Jean Fellows and her husband George of Colorado Springs, CO; son-in-law, Paul Nicely of Delaware, OH; eight grandchildren; and twelve great- grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Frank; two daughters, Ellen Abbe and Ann Nicely; three brothers; and three sisters.