Opal Allen

Opal Gordon Allen passed away at the age of 104 on Sunday, August 21, 2022, at Friends Homes West in Greensboro, NC.

She was born in rural Stokes County to Ivey William Gordon and Carrie Johnson Gordon on September 6, 1917.  She attended Germantown Elementary and King High School, graduating in 1935 and was a starting forward/guard on the Girls’ basketball team.  After high school, she attended Draughon’s Business College in Winston Salem and graduated in 1937.

In 1939, she and 2 of her working friends rode in one of the friend’s Packard auto to Texas and flew in an open air, 2-seater (1 seat for pilot, 1 for passenger) bi-winged airplane across and along the Rio Grande River at Brownsville, Texas.

Opal retired from the Forsyth County Schools in 1983 and made many contributions to so many lives with her work as a Bookkeeper/Secretary assigned to Principals Robert Blevins at Old Town Elementary and Julian Gibson at North Forsyth High School.  Also, she and husband, John, were most active in Beck's Baptist Church in Forsyth County.  Her activities included Director of the Women's Missionary Union, Chair of Personnel, Bylaws, Nominating and History Committees.  She was a founding member of Beck’s Bell Choir.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, John Lewis Allen and her brother, I. Bryce Gordon.  Opal is survived by her son, Hugh Allen (Julie) of Washington, DC; daughter, Penny Rowe (David) of Oak Ridge, NC; and son, Mark Allen (Dorothy-deceased) of Mexico; 5 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM pm on Thursday, August 25, 2022, at Hayworth-Miller Silas Creek Chapel. A private graveside service will be held on Friday, August 26, 2022, with a memorial service following at 2:00 PM on Saturday, August 27, 2022, at Beck’s Baptist Church, 5505 Becks Church Rd., Winston Salem, NC  27106.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Beck's Baptist Church.

Online condolences may be made at www.hayworth-miller.com