Beloved Jasper Matriarch Patricia M. Opel, 88, Dies; Co-owned Haysville Service Station

Patricia M. Opel, a familiar presence in Jasper and Haysville whose family helped run Opel’s Service Station, died peacefully January 21, 2026, at Deaconess Memorial Medical Center in Jasper. She was 88.

Born in Jasper on March 12, 1937, to Harry and Henrietta Vonderheide, Patricia married George Opel Sr. on September 22, 1956. Patricia and George co-owned and operated Opel’s Service Station in Haysville, helping to anchor local commerce and daily life in the rural corner of Dubois County. Patricia later retired from Inwood Office Furniture, ending a working life that combined small business stewardship with steady community service.

Patricia’s life was rooted in faith and family. She was an active member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Haysville and was known locally for her warmth, generosity, and ability to make others feel seen in simple moments such as a grocery aisle or a waiting room. Patricia was a devoted mother to her seven children - Terry Opel; Tammy Hemmerlein and her husband Brian; George Opel Jr.; Candy Theile and her husband Mike; Annette Mommaerts and her husband Craig; Michelle Bonner and her husband Andy; and JD Opel. Her family includes 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren who will carry forward her insistence that the bonds of home came first.

Community institutions will feel Patricia’s absence. Small businesses like Opel’s Service Station have long served as informal hubs where neighbors exchange news, support one another, and find practical help. Faith congregations such as St. Paul’s provide social and emotional supports that are especially vital in rural areas with aging populations. Patricia’s life highlights how family-run enterprises and church networks together sustain social cohesion and local resilience.

Patricia was preceded in death by her husband George, sisters Lucille, Virginia, Ruth, and Sue Jane, and her brother Bud. She is survived by her sister Dots and the many neighbors and friends she touched. The family has cited Proverbs 31:28-29 in her memory: “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’”

A funeral service for Patricia M. Opel was held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, January 23, 2026, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Haysville, with burial in the church cemetery following. Visitation took place from 9:00 a.m. until the service at the church. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Haysville. Condolences can be offered online at becherkluesner.com.

For Jasper and Haysville residents, Patricia Opel’s passing is a moment to remember the quiet labor that keeps communities running - caregiving, small business ownership, and faith-based support - and to consider how local policies and services can better sustain aging elders and the multigenerational networks that define Dubois County life.