Alexandra (Lewis) Opal

Alexandra (Lewis) Opal, beloved wife of John Opal, mother of Jack and Magritte Opal, grandmother of Tolan James Opal, died at Donnell House Hospice in Washington, PA, on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, after a challenging yearlong struggle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. She was surrounded by friends and family during her last days and hours, and she died peacefully with her husband at her side.

Known to friends and family as Lexie, she was born in Canonsburg, PA, on January 28, 1956. She was born weighing little over 2 pounds, but she grew into the strongest person any of us have met. A lifelong resident of Washington County, she lived in service to others, most recently as a hospice RN with Heritage Hospice. She loved her patients like her family, and she helped hundreds of individuals and their families through skilled, intuitive, and compassionate end of life care. 

She was also an accomplished artist whose murals grace the walls of her and John’s early 19th century historic home in West Middletown, PA, every surface of which they lovingly restored together. She and John enjoyed travel and hiking, especially in the Shenandoah Mountains.

Her mother and father, Audre Riggs Lewis and Fred Lewis of Canonsburg, preceded her in death. She is survived by her husband John Opal, son Jack Opal, his wife Delaney and their son Tolan, daughter Magritte Opal and her partner Dean DaPra, and five siblings: Lenley Lewis (Jay Coughlin), John Frederick Lewis (Catherine Haluszczak), Lisa Lewis, George Lewis (Dayl), and Susanne Lewis Watt (Gary). 

She is also survived by her husband’s siblings Ken (Sharon), Bob (Amy), Chris, and Dave Opal, his aunt Rose Gubala, and by 12 much loved nieces and nephews: Will Scheff, Catherine Coughlin (Jeff McConnell), Stephen Coughlin, Lida Lewis, Nick Lewis (Marybeth Fiser), Luke Watt, Eliana Watt, Alex Lewis, Emma Lewis Burnette (Aaron), Mattie Lewis, Katie Lewis, and Aubre Lewis, as well as great nephew Max McConnell and great niece Maren McConnell. She is loved by too many to mention. For as long as any of us yet live, she will live in our hearts. 

Lexie battled this horrible disease with the same grace, courage, and equanimity with which she lived her life. All who encountered her on this journey loved her for her kindness, humor, and bravery. She was kind to all she met, especially those in harder circumstances than herself. A nurse for some 45 years, she tended to injured animals, checked on homeless people wherever they might be, and was the first on the scene of any accident she witnessed. Despite the hardships of her life, she maintained a childlike sense of wonder at the world, drawing great joy from the simplest things. She loved baby animals, good stories, sunny days, winter snow, and flowers. She could spend hours talking to birds at the National Aviary, many of whom she knew by name. Her face lit up at the sight of calves in the fields in Spring. She could often be seen sitting in her car singing her heart out. She loved to dance and did so with great joy. She loved life. Her passing leaves an unfillable void in the lives of all who love her.

A graveside service will be held at Penn Forest Natural Burial Park, 121 Colorado Street, Verona PA 15147, on Tuesday Sept. 12 at 11:00AM followed by a memorial at Kitchen on Main, 64 E. Main St., West Middletown PA 15379, from 2:00PM to 4:00PM. Family, friends, and co-workers are invited to attend and share stories of Lexie’s life.

Lexie wished that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the Washington City Mission, www.citymission.org, where she spent some time as a volunteer.

Arrangements by Natural Funeral Company, 412-545-7500.

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