Obituary of Opal Buckner Stone

Opal Buckner Stone of Talladega, Alabama passed away on Friday, February 23, 2024 at the age of 87. A funeral ceremony will be held in her honor in the chapel at Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega on Wednesday, February 28, 2024, at 1:00 P.M. with Pastor Ronnie Snyder officiating. Her family will receive friends at Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega from 12:00 P.M. until 1:00 P.M. prior to the service. Opal was born near Ashland, Alabama on April 23, 1936, the third of seven children born to Hardie and Myrtle Buckner. She worked many years for the Daily Home in Talladega and for Coosa Valley Outdoor Billboards as an advertising agent. She also worked for WNUZ radio station as a general manager. She was an avid gardner, artist, photographer and animal lover. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Hardie Buckner and Myrtle Browning Buckner; one sister, Ann Downs; four brothers, Preston Buckner, Lester Buckner, Tyler Buckner and Harold Buckner, and husband, Preston Stone. She is survived by one sister, Margaret Buckner Stevens; daughter, Sonja Holdridge Evans (Sam); sons, Michael Harlan Holdridge (Donna) and James Stanley Holdridge (Rachel); grandchildren, Scott Kelley (Vesela), Brian Kelley (Erin), Matthew Holdridge (Kayla), Kayla Champion, Zack Holdridge (Corey), and Nathan Holdridge, and thirteen great-grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, Mrs. Stone's family requests that donations be made in her memory to Talladega Animal Shelter, 809 W. McMillian St., Talladega, Alabama 35160. Online condolences may be offered at www.usreyfuneralhome.com. Usrey Funeral Home of Talladega is directing the services.