ABINGDON - Mrs. Ophelia Parker Carraway, 80, passed away peacefully in her home May 22, 2008, with loved ones by her side. She had battled Alzheimer's disease for many years.

Ophelia was born June 11, 1927, in Pitt County, North Carolina. She was the 10th child born to the late Elmer B. Parker and Mae Hines Parker. She graduated in 1949 from East Carolina Teacher's College and accepted her first teaching job at James Hurst Elementary School in Cradock, a small community in Portsmouth. She married her longtime sweetheart, Dave Carraway Feb. 3, 1950. They had three children and eventually moved to the Chesapeake area in 1961 settling in the community of Deep Creek.

Ophelia returned to teaching at G.A. Treakle Elementary School where she taught second grade until her retirement. She was a dedicated teacher a total of 23 years. She felt great pride when former students saw her and thanked her for being such a wonderful teacher and for teaching them how to read. While living in that area of Virginia, she was a very involved member of the Cradock Presbyterian Church, teaching children in Sunday school and Bible school. Following retirement in 1989, she and Dave moved to Abingdon to be closer to family. She became a member of Pleasant View United Methodist Church. Ophelia's greatest joy in life was her family. She was a loving and devoted daughter, sister, aunt, wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She enjoyed baking, reading, walking and gardening. She planted and grew the most beautiful flowers in her yard.

She is survived by her devoted husband of 58 years, Dave E. Carraway Sr.; two daughters, Vickie Wilson and husband Danny of Abingdon and Shelia Ambrose and husband Frank of Lansdowne, Va.; one son, Dave Carraway Jr. and wife Bobbi of Bristol, Va.; nine grandchildren, Stephen Wilson and wife Noelle, Rachel Schallon and husband Matt, Aubyn Carraway, Caitlin Smith, Daniel Smith, Rachel Ambrose, Christopher Ambrose, Savannah Ball and Olivia Ball; two great-grandchildren, Erin Schallon and Sarah Schallon; one sister, Olive Roebuck of Stokes, N.C.; and two sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

The family wants to give special thanks to her many loving, personal caregivers, to the dedicated staff of Home Nursing Service of Southwest Virginia, and to all her wonderful caring "friends" at Hospice of Southwest Virginia, all of which allowed her to remain in her home with her husband the last two years of her illness. The family also wants to thank the Abingdon Senior Services Center for the nice meals they delivered weekly to the home. The funeral will be conducted today at 3 p.m. in the Main Street Chapel of Farris Funeral Service, Abingdon, Va.

Published in The Virginian Pilot on 5/24/2008.