Opal Dickinson was born 1 July 1906 to Janie
Palinor Summers and John Robert Dickinson In West Plain, Howell County, Missouri.
There, She lived close to her Grandparents, George and Sarah Summers and
Zackary and Sheby Dickinson.
Opal wasn't able to run and play like the
other children because she had problems breathing, so she would frequently
sit on the Porch and play with her dolls. She was a quite little girl and
somewhat shy. She also had a cute sense of humor. Opal preferred to stay
close to the house and help her mother, She would get vegetables out of the
garden, help with household chores and other various tasks around the house.
Opal also had a pet pig that she would play with. This pig could do tricks
like a dog and followed her around everywhere she went. Grandma Opal stated
that the pig was a very clean animal and would use an outside "litter box".
This is the only place the pig would go.
Later the family moved to Denver, Colorado.
In the summer time, the family would go to Missouri to visit their families.
A family story about one of these visits happened when Opal was still young.
Opal and her cousins decided to take a walk in the woods. The boy cousins
would swing from branch to branch,on the trees, like Tarzan. One of the boys
misjudged the distance of the next branch and was tragically impaled on the
tree. The boy screamed and the other children ran for help. Opal was unable
to run and was forced to listen to the boy's dying screams. When Opal became
a mother, she would not let her children play in trees because of the tragic
accident.
Opal married Vestor Dobson. Together they
had a baby boy. The baby died shortly after his birth and Opal and Vestor
were divorced shortly there after. Their divorce was final on 3 June 1927.
Opal loved to dance and sing and she very
good at both. She could not dance the whole evening away due to her breathing
problems or sing very often. One of her favorites was singing Acapulco. Opal
met Earl at a dance hall. They both loved to dance.
Opal was living with her parents and Earl
was living on his own, Clear across town in West Denver. Earl and Opal would
take the Street Cars when they would go out on dates. The last Street Car
would leave at Midnight, if Earl didn't make the connection with the Street
Car, it was " A long walk home". The conductor of the Street Car got to know
Earl and would blow his whistle for Earl when he was about to leave. Earl
would take off running down the street and catch the Street Car.
Opal had a sweet sense of humor and could
make anyone laugh. She was very close to her sister Alma. Opal and Alma did
many things together, they look alot alike and dressed alike to look like
twins. Alma was ornery and Opal would follow Alma's plan's of adventure.
Who would know where the adventures might lead.
