Opal Esteene Callaway Shepherd, age 88, of Arkadelphia passed from this life on Wednesday, August 7, 2013, at Baptist Medical Center in Little Rock. She was born October 24, 1924 in Alpine, the daughter of the late Joe Fred and Jimmie Pagan Callaway. Opal graduated from Amity High School in 1942. She received her B.S.E. from Henderson State Teacher's College in 1969 and her M.S.E. from HSU in 1974 with a Reading Specialist degree. She taught at Prescott, Okolona, and Arkadelphia Public Schools from 1970-1985 and elementary schools for eighteen years. Her last eleven years were at Ouachita Baptist University teaching in the elementary education department and reading lab and supervising student teachers. Opal was a member of First United Methodist Church of Arkadelphia since 1948, where she served on various committees and taught Sunday school in the Primary department. She was a member of Phi Delta Kappa, Arkansas Education Association, Clark County Retired Teachers Association, International Reading Association and Arkansas Teacher Retired Teachers and was named to Who's Who in 1985. Opal's hobbies were reading, crossword puzzles, flower gardening and "most of all, she enjoyed her family and being with her grandchildren". She was preceded in death by her daughter, Linda Dianne Shepherd, and three sisters, Onez Jones, Juanita Dorsey, and Imogene Callaway, and one brother in law, Don Jones. Opal is survived by two daughters, Judy Carole Shepherd Winders and her husband David, and Bettye Jo Shepherd Binns and her husband Garland, ten grandchildren, Dr. Todd (Blake) Tinsley, Chad Caldwell, Kim Caldwell, Will (Michelle) Binns, Brad (Carrie) Binns, Brittany (Josh) Lacy, Meagan Binns, Blake Binns, Wade Woolsey and Brent Binns, five great grandchildren, Lakin Caldwell, Taylor Tinsley, Toby Tinsley, Sophie Binns and Savanah Binns, one great-great grand child, Wiatt Turner. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 PM Tuesday, August 13, 2013, at the First United Methodist Church with Rev. Jim Polk officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:00 to 2:00 PM in the fellowship hall of the church. Interment will be private. Memorials may be made to First United Methodist Church 107 N. 9th Arkadelphia, AR 71923. Final arrangements are entrusted to The Welch Funeral Home of Arkadelphia. Visit www.welchfh.net to sign the guest book.