Opal J. Soviak , 91, of Colleyville passed away peacefully Tuesday, January 18, 2011with her daughter and son-in-law by her side. Her family greatly appreciates the compassionate care provided her by Dr. Marc Chapman, the wonderful care by the staff of the Holiday Lane Estates assisted living community, and the expert, compassionate care by Vitas Hospice.
CELEBRATION OF LIFE: 2:00 P.M. Saturday, January 22, 2011 at First United Methodist Church, Hurst, Texas in the chapel. Interment will be in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens in Osceola, Indiana next to her husband, Dimitri Soviak.
MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mission Central of the First United Methodist Church of Hurst, Texas or charity of choice.
Jennie was born on April 10, 1919 in Elwood, Indiana to Dona and Harry Jervis. She met the love of her life, Dimitri Soviak, in Fort Wayne, Indiana while both were in college. They married August 13, 1940, in Elkhart, Indiana. They moved to Mishawaka, Indiana in 1940 where her husband was a design engineer, retiring from Wheelabrator-Frye after 40 years service.
Jennie was a master cosmetologist for many years in Mishawaka. She had many artistic and creative interests including clothing and interior design as well as all kinds of needlework, gardening and flower propagation and making wonderful meals and new recipes for family and friends. She loved finding antiques and restoring furniture for her home. She was very active when Questers were involved in the restoration of the Studebaker estate in South Bend, Indiana and the restoration of the Beiger home in Mishawaka, Indiana and enjoyed serving as a docent at both locations. In later years she traveled several times to Europe to enjoy the beautiful gardens and architecture of France, England, Belgium, Italy, Greece, Austria, and Switzerland.
Jennie devoted many years of service to her churches both in Mishawaka, Indiana and in Texas, supporting varied fund raising efforts for the building and missions programs. She moved to Bedford, Texas in 1986 to be near her daughter and grandchildren. She joined First United Methodist of Hurst in 1987 and joined the Wesley Bible class.
Jennie was preceded in death by her husband, Dimitri Soviak; parents, Dona and Harry Jervis; brother, John Jervis; sisters, Mary, Elaine, and Mona; sisters-in-law, Millie Soviak and Julie Appeman; brothers-in-law, William and Harry Soviak; son, Steven Merrick Soviak, and grandson, Bryce Thane Bartlett.
SURVIVORS: Her daughter, Donna Ridenhour and her husband, Wayne; granddaughter, Dr. Lexey Bartlett, granddaughters-in-law, Stacy (Bartlett) Cason and husband, Michael, Ginger Harman and husband O.J.; grandson-in-law, Wayne Ridenhour, Jr. and wife, Kim; great granddaughters, Shalie Lynn (Bartlett) Cason Dahar and husband, Austin, Kimberly Cason, and Gina Cason; great grandsons, Lucas Cason, Will Ridenhour and Andrew Harmon; sister-in-law, Dolores Soviak; brothers-in-law, John Soviak and Ray Appeman; and numerous nieces and nephews and their extended families.