Obituary of Opal Pearl Rathbone

RATHBONE, Opal Pearl also known as Opal Starr Rathbone, 83 passed away on Monday, October 3, 2022 at St. Joseph Hospital in Tampa, Florida. She was born on March 1, 1939 in Butler Township, Pennsylvania. She is the daughter of Earl Starr and Ruth (Bechtel) Starr. Opal married Harry W. Rathbone in 1961. They lived in Trenton, New Jersey where she had 4 children Sherry Lynn Marie, Cynthia Lee, Opal Pearl and Harry William, Jr. (deceased). She later moved to Kissimmee, Florida and then to Live Oak, Florida. Opal enjoyed being a homemaker and was a bookkeeper for her husband's 3 gas service stations in New Jersey. She was married to Harry W. Rathbone for 59 years. She enjoyed traveling and cooking homemade meals. She loved doing word search puzzles, crossword puzzles, card games and enjoyed gambling at casinos. Her favorite was progressive slot machines. In addition to her parents she was predeceased by husband, Harry Rathbone and son, Harry Rathbone Jr. She loved her grandchildren Heather Rathbone Smith, Jason Santilli, Melissa Moody and Casey Headley. She affectionately enjoyed the great grandchildren Alex and Achilles Smith, Avery and Evan Moody and Philip, Austin, Alizabeth and Eli Headley. She is survived by her daughters, Sherry Lynn Santilli, Cynthia Lee Rathbone and her husband John George Skelton, Opal Pearl Duncan and her husband Michael Dean Duncan; nieces and nephews; four grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. After the service at Faupel Funeral Home there will be a celebration of life at Cindy and John's home.