Ophelia Karnes

PRINCETON – Rosa Ophelia Cook Karnes, 97, of Princeton, formerly of Matoaka, died Friday, March 18, 2011 at Princeton Community Hospital. Born September 23, 1913 at Matoaka, she was the daughter of the late Jameson Cook and Minnie Wright Cook. Ophelia was a lifelong resident of the Matoaka-Princeton area. During her long, healthy and full life, she was a steadfast member of the Ashworth Memorial United Church in Matoaka, where she sang in the choir, taught Sunday School and served on numerous committees. As well as her noteworthy positions as housewife, mother and grandmother she enjoyed her position as a reading teacher’s aide at Matoaka Elementary School. She was an avid quilter and seamstress blessing her children and grandchildren with quilts and sewed many, many dresses for them and others. She designed and made the wedding dress for the minister's bride. Ophelia most enjoyed attending church, sewing, visiting her friends and watching movies inspired by Jane Austen novels. She unselfishly traveled anywhere to help with her grandchildren when called. She remembered details of her life growing up in Matoaka when it was a thriving coal town and her father had a dry goods store, Cook and Co. Her smiling face, her contagious laugh, and her beautiful white hair will be greatly missed. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of more than 50 years, Claude Edward Karnes in 1993; three brothers, Paul Cook, Jameson Cook, Jr. and Conrad Cook; and two sisters, Isabelle Jackson and Geraldine Bailey. Survivors include two sons, Edward Karnes of Beckley and George Thomas Karnes and his wife Suzie of Temecula, CA; one daughter, Claudia Nesbit and her husband Robert of Wesley Chapel, FL; four grandchildren, Kathy Garces, Kelly Karnes, Kyle Karnes and Karen Chaudhry; and four great-grandchildren, Audrey Garces, Marina and Sophia Karnes and Imran Chaudhry. Funeral services will be conducted at 11:00 a.m. Monday, March 21, 2011 at the Rowland H. Bailey Funeral Chapel of the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton with the Rev. Bill Crawford officiating. Entombment will follow in the Woodlawn Memorial Park Mausoleum in Bluewell. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Ashworth United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 177, Matoaka, WV 24736. Friends may call Sunday, March 20, 2011 from 4-6 p.m. at the Bailey-Kirk Funeral Home in Princeton. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.bailey-kirk.com.

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Ophelia Karnes

March 18, 2011