Opal Joyce McClure Smallwood

Mrs. Opal Joyce McClure Smallwood, age 93, of LaGrange, Georgia, formerly of Crittenden, Kentucky, passed away on August 13, 2026. Mrs. Smallwood was born on March 29, 1933, in Mt. Zion, Kentucky to the late John Thomas McClure and Mable Mae Delph McClure. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of seventy-three years, Melvin Ray Smallwood and the youngest of ten siblings: Edward Jay McClure, Elsie Hazel McClure, Samuel McClure, Bertha Caldwell, Zelma Mae Jones, Harold Fitson McClure, Martha Jane Brickler, Naomi Orcutt Flynn, Claretta Bailey, and Lora Jean Israel.

Survivors include her children, Terry Lee Smallwood (Kay Plaisted) and Sandy Smallwood Blair (Rev. Paul Blair); grandchildren, Justin Paul Blair (Kate Roberts), Erin Smallwood Wathen (Jeremy Michael), Jamin Baxter Blair (Michelle Woodfin) and Christopher Howard Smallwood (Caroline Smith); great-grandchildren, Isabelle Grace Blair, Haley Margaret Blair, Grayson Baxter Blair, Abbey Gray Blair, Pryce Everette Blair, Harper Sebree Wathen and Silas Ray Wathen; numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

Opal worked at McNay’s Lumber Company in Crittenden for 12 years as an Administrative Assistant and the Northern Kentucky Youth Treatment Center for 20 years as a financial administrator. She was a member of Sherman Baptist Church and loved cooking, working with her plants, flowers and doing lawncare.

Visitation will be held Thursday, August 20, 2026, from 1:00 – 3:00 at the McDaniel Funeral Home, 30 South Main Street, Dry Ridge, Kentucky, 41035. Graveside services will be held immediately after at Hillcrest Cemetery in Dry Ridge, Kentucky.

Higgins Funeral Home at Hunter Allen Myhand and McDaniel Funeral Home are in charge of arrangements.