Opal Burns, 84, of Bowman, ND, passed away on Monday, February 6, 2012 at the Southwest Healthcare Hospital in Bowman.

Memorial Services for Opal will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, February 13, 2012 at the Bowman Lutheran Church. Pastor Galen Strand and Pastor Charles Swanson will officiate with burial to be held at a later date in the Black Hills National Cemetery, rural Sturgis, SD. There will be a Family and Friends Service on Sunday, February 12, 2012 at the Bowman Lutheran Church beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Opal Schade Burns was born on March 5, 1927 at the home of her Grandparents, Otto and Emma Schade, 8 miles north of Bowman. She was baptized and confirmed in the Lutheran Church, and remained a faithful member for 84 years. She began her education at Star School, and then moved into town in 1934 to live with her grandparents. The beautiful home she lived in during these years still remains in the family, a fact that brought her pleasure through the years. She graduated from Bowman High School with the class of 1945, and remained close with all her classmates throughout her life. After graduation she worked in Bismarck for a number of years. In 1947 she was crowned Miss Modern Days for the Bismarck Diamond Jubilee.
On February 4, 1952 she was united in marriage to Allen Burns. They spent their entire life in Bowman, raising their 7 children. Allen and Opal enjoyed 35 wonderful years together, watching their children grow up, taking numerous trips around the country and overseas and enjoying life. During the busy child rearing years she also found time to teach Sunday School, confirmation classes and act as a counselor and advisor for the Luther League.
When the children were young, Opal, ever the efficient typist, began typing abstracts at home and then began working at the Tri-State Hospital as head of the medical records department. She worked evenings which allowed her to be home with her family during the day.
In 1967 she switched gears and began working for the United States Postal Service as a substitute mail carrier. In 1979 she was appointed to the position as rural mail lady for Route 2. She happily delivered mail to her patrons for many years. Opal always carried candy for the children on her route, and when they met her at the mail box, they were rewarded with a treat. She was president for the Frontier Five, an organization for rural carriers, and counted her fellow postal employees as true friends. Opal was also very involved with the Alumni Association, the Centennial Committees for Bowman as well as spending many hours volunteering at the Pioneer Trails Museum.
In retirement Opal spent the years traveling with friends, visiting her children and spoiling her grandchildren (she delighted in feeding them ice cream for breakfast). She loved playing cards, entertaining on her deck surrounded by her flowers and the daily happy hour.
Her final years were extremely happy and were spent with her classmate, lifelong friend and companion, Gene Langlee. They spent winter months in Arizona and traveled the country, visiting friends and family members along the way. The mornings found Opal having coffee with Gene at her house, and the afternoon was spent playing cards and having happy hour at his house. They were often joined both in Bowman and Arizona by their many friends.
Opal led a wonderful life and often said she wouldn't change a thing. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile, her warmth and hospitality.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Allen Burns in 1987, parents, Eleanor and Wesley Anderson, sister and brother-in-law, Illa Mae and Tom Buckley and a special cousin, Maybelline Peters. She is survived by her sisters and brothers-in-law, Karen and Darrell Feist, Kay and Connie Carlson. A son and daughter-in-law, Tom and Stacy Burns, daughters and sons-in-law: Shannon and Greg Johnson, Candee Burns and Jeff Erbele, Elizabeth and Lynn Peterson, Peg and Dan Hubber, Patricia and Alan Heitkamp and Gayl and Jim Ruff. Grandchildren left with fond memories of Grandma O are: Megan Oase, Shawn and Shelby Burns, Meredith Montoya, Penny Johnson, and Harper Dougherty, Blane and Trish Peterson, Bret and Erica Hubber, Brandon and Jerod Heitkamp, Bailey, Miranda and Hally Ruff, and three great grand children, Damion, Lucien, and Collins Rose, as well her cousins Cordella Thompson, Dorothy Johnson, and Kelly Oien along with numerous nieces and nephews and her dear friend, Gene Langlee.

Krebsbach/Kulseth Funeral Home in charge of the arrangements.