Opal Parish Opal Irene (Yarde) Parish, age 92, died peacefully at home on JANUARY 3, 2018 in Ponce Inlet, FL. Opal was born July 10, 1925, in Alexis, Illinois, the daughter of Bert Lee and Helen (Bengtson) Yarde.  Opal was born and raised on a dairy farm in Illinois. She rode her horse to her one-room school house each day. She graduated HS early and attended Monmouth College in Illinois where she met her future husband, Jack L. Parish, in naval officer training, and they were married in 1944. After World War II he attended the U of IL and they started a family. Opal was the beloved mother to Stephen, Janet, Joe, and David Parish.  Opal was a positive, loving (shining) light who loved all she knew. Her children were her life and as a teacher, she started the first kindergarten in Galesburg IL. After moving to Daytona Beach FL in 1967, she went on to start the first market-research firm in the area.  She met many new friends at her Harbour Village community. She enjoyed water aerobics, yoga, walks on the beach at sunrise, astrology, book club and playing bridge several times a week. She also remembers her great friends in Daytona Beach where she lived for almost 50 years and served the community, police and enjoyed the YMCA. Opal is survived by her daughter, Janet Parish (Gary Brindza) of Ponce Inlet, who cared for her until she passed onto the better life. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, George Dale Parish of Scottsdale, AZ; her beloved grandchildren Scott Disbennett of Edgewater FL and Amy Sirmans of DeLand FL and her great-grandchildren Cooper and Maya Sirmans. Opal is predeceased by her husband of 71 years, Jack L Parish (2015), and their three sons Steven, Joe, and David Parish. Also deceased are her parents and two brothers Albert and Lee Yarde of Alexis IL. There will be a celebration of Opal at the Harbour Village Club House at 4622 Links Village Drive, Ponce Inlet, on Sunday 1/28, at 2 pm. A private family burial will be held at a later date at the VA Cape Canaveral National Cemetery where she will be interred with her husband. In lieu of flowers please consider a donation in her name to the Alzheimer's Association. We will always remember her with much love and happiness.