Page 90 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2017- Online Magazine
P. 90
Opal Roberts
Living Intentionally
“
finish what they of Specialist
started.” ...her motive for 4th Class
The regimented joining the service, and credits
much of
lifestyle and “I went in to finish her success
discipline what they started.” to her
was a good parents.
fit for young “ During the
Opal at Ft. three years
McClellan, Alabama. she was away from home, not
She remembered the a day went by that she did not
only drawback was receive a letter or package from
homesickness. “A lot of her parents. “Mail call was the
us cried at night in the best time of the day.” They
beginning, and each night supported her patriotism and
we girls sang ‘The Lord’s prayed for the safe return of
Prayer’ for comfort. Being their youngest child.
busy helped, and the
Army kept us very busy.” After her honorable discharge
pal Roberts knows the in 1961, she met and married
importance of apparel. During the Vietnam era Opal Ray Roberts in 1966 and raised
OShe remembers a served stateside in the ER at Ft. three children in Andrews, TX.
uniform she wore that was Sam Houston in San Antonio. She has six grandchildren and
made of “extremely high The fast-paced tempo of that nine great-grandchildren.
maintenance fabric”. While assignment forced her to learn
serving in the Women’s Army quickly, and the autopsies she When asked what she felt was
Corps (WAC) her distinctive witnessed made a long-lasting her greatest achievement other
military attire was very thin and impression. An opportunity than her service and family life,
took much time and effort to arose in a different field she lit up describing her time as
wash, starch and iron. To keep and the young woman was a county librarian in Plains and
herself looking crisp, she would transferred to Oklahoma, where Denver City.
force herself to stand during the she worked as a general’s
bus ride to work and wouldn’t receptionist
sit down until lunch. at the McNair
headquarters for
She was raised in Slaton, a year and a half.
Texas, the daughter of C.D.
and Elsie Willis. Opal was the However, she
youngest of eight children, had thrived in the
and it seemed appropriate for medical field, so
her to follow her father and she was happy
four brothers into serving her to go to work for
country. Her eyes sparkled as several doctors
she explained her motive for at Fort Sill. Opal
joining the service, “I went in to achieved the rank
90 Lubbock Senior Link
