Opal May Reichel, 80, died on May 6, 2016 at her home in Great Bend. She was born Feb. 6, 1936 at Ness City, the daughter of Herman Wayne and Diana (Musselman) Mellies.
She married Arnold Neal Reichel Nov. 17, 1954 at Bushton.
She was a homemaker and worked as an operator for AT&T, as a dispatcher for the Rush County Sheriff, and was co-owner of the Bison Mini-Mall.
Mrs. Reichel was a Great Bend resident since 2001 coming from Bison.
She was a member of First United Methodist Church and Bison United Methodist Church. She was a 4H leader for the Lone Star Rangers and was an avid painter. She enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting, as well as always planting a very large garden every year.
Survivors include her husband: Neal Reichel, of the home; two sons: Joel Reichel and his wife Terry of Alexander, and Jody Reichel and his husband Seth Munter of San Francisco, Calif.; two daughters: Charlotte Brening and her husband Phil of Fort Worth, Texas, and Cherie Belford and her husband Larry of Hoisington; one sister, Sandi McNulty of Cheyenne, Wyo.; one brother: Ron Mellies of Glendale, Ariz.; eleven grandchildren, Nicholas Brening, Michael Brening, Sandra Ritterhouse, Heather Whisnant, Kendra Belford, Shawn Marvin, Tyler Marvin, Levi Reichel, Ashley Reichel, Rebecca Reichel and Travis Reichel; 23 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. She was preceded in death by two brothers, Irvin Mellies and Bob Miller.
Funeral Services will be at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, May 10 at First United Methodist Church in Great Bend with The Reverend Reuben Lang’at officiating. Burial will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday at La Crosse City Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m., Monday, May 9 at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials are requested to Rush County EMS or Bison Community Library, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net.
Funeral arrangements provided by
Bryant Funeral Home*
1425 Patton Road
Great Bend, KS 67530
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune May 8, 2016
