Opal Pentz

Born July 29, 1959, to Charles Irwin Pentz and Jewel Violet “Vi” Carpenter Pentz, our Nan O came into this world with grit in her bones, kindness in her heart, and just enough stubbornness to keep life interesting.

She wore many hats over the years working at Levolor, keeping schools spotless as a janitor, and standing guard as a crossing guard, making sure every child made it safely across while the intersection stayed cleaner than she found it. She never passed a piece of garbage without giving it a proper home in the nearest trash can.

She raised three children: James Gator Stephens, Echo Pentz, and Cash Irwin Pentz (Nichole). She was the proud grandmother of four and counting: Prezlee, Harper, Hanley, and Journey. They knew her best as their walking buddy, treasure hunter of pop cans, and the one who always had time for them.

She was kind in a way that didn’t need announcing, humble without trying, strong without showing off, and hardworking like it was just part of breathing. Stubborn she was but usually in all the right ways. She believed children were children, never “kids,” because as she’d remind you, those are baby goats.

Opal lived by a few simple rules: be happy, keep going, and if someone needs help, you help them no questions asked. She never missed a chance to tell you to smile, and she definitely never passed up a good joke. She’d never say she had “favorites”… unless it was the Green Bay Packers.

Even in her hardest chapter, she faced her battle with cancer the same way she faced everything else with grit, quiet strength, and a stubborn refusal to give up. She fought until the very end, on her own terms, with the same resilience that defined her life.

She is survived by her children; her grandchildren; and her siblings: Byron (Vivian) Pentz, Joe (LuAnn) Pentz, Shane (Jill) Pentz, Lane (Robyn) Pentz, and her sister Topaz (Brad) Baker.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her brothers, Timothy Clyde Pentz, Samuel Zachariah Pentz, Stan Pentz, Whitney Pentz, Larry Pentz, Randy Pentz, and Steve Pentz; and her sisters, Ruby Pentz Nelson, Pearl Pentz Loyd, and Jewel Pentz Woolsey.

Opal leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, cleaner streets, and hearts made better just by knowing her.

Her story doesn’t end here; it lives on in laughter, memories, and the love she leaves behind.

So when you think of Opal, don’t be sad; keep smiling, because you already know she would’ve insisted on it.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, April 9, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. at the Croydon Cemetery.