A Life Led to the FullestTo reach your 97th birthday is a milestone. Opal was fortunate to have celebrated her 97th birthday on March 25, 2024. Opal was born and raised in Bath County, Viriginia to Virgie Martin Ryder Faurote and Clarence “CC” Ryder.
After high school, Opal moved to NYC where she met and married her husband, Frank. Opal had an eclectic professional career, starting with her Beauty Salon on Second Ave in Manhattan where she was stylist to many of the Broadway actress’. With these contacts, she enjoyed attending many Broadway Plays and Musicals.
After over a decade of owning the salon, Opal reluctantly became a stay-at-home mother to her daughter, Francesca. She had to leave behind the glitz and glamour of the Manhattan nightlife, and numerous afterparties thrown by the stars of Broadway shows. We knew about how wonderful her life was before she had children, because she often spoke about those days and the fond memories.
After her daughters were attending primary school, Opal attended night school to become a physical education teacher in the parochial school, Blessed Virgin Mary Help of Christians School, (St. Mary’s), in Woodside, NY. She served as the PE teacher until the time her husband retired, and the family moved to their summer home in the Catskill Mountains.
After leaving her teaching position, Opal continued her education and became a LPN. Opal took great pride in her accomplishments at the Rensselaer City Senior Center, where she served for ov.