Opal Dee Madison

Opal Dee Madison passed away peacefully, after an 11 year battle with Parkinson’s Disease, on December 7, 2018, at the age of 69.
Opal was born to Lenrie and Emily Campbell on November 20, 1949, in Shelley, Idaho.  She grew up in Idaho Falls and was the sixth of seven children. She graduated from Skyline High School in 1968 and attended beauty school.  She met Doug Madison in November 1968 while visiting her brother Garth who worked at Madison’s Furniture in Boise. Doug and Opal were quickly in love and were married for time and all eternity on June 19, 1969 in the Idaho Falls Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Doug and Opal remained in the Boise area where they raised their four children. Mom was proud to be a member of Christ’s restored church and taught her children well by word and example the principles of the Restored Gospel.
Opal‘s lifelong joy was being a mother and a care taker to many children. She was a kid at heart and of all the callings she held in the church, being the nursery leader was her favorite. Opal’s favorite pastime was reading and she filled her spare time with good books. She also loved attending sporting events with Doug and the family and loved her Boise State Broncos. She began attending games when the field was green and became known as “Cookie Momma” to other fans because she would sneak in large totes of homemade blue and orange sugar cookies and pass them out at halftime to her Bronco friends that sat close by. Cries of “thank you cookie momma” and “we love you cookie momma” would ring out. She attended the 2007 Fiesta Bowl with her family and cried when she thought the Broncos had blown the game, only to be on cloud nine a few minutes later when they pulled out a victory. She claimed she wasn’t worried! She loved trivia games and would have made millions if she ever would have been a contestant on her favorite TV game show, Jeopardy. She liked to travel with Doug and they were able to see the world! Mom’s favorite trip was a trip to England and Scotland where mom was able to visit her Campbell roots. She loved music and was a huge Elvis Presley fan. She cried the day he died, our family thinks of her every time we hear Blue Christmas. The Campbell family has been blessed with great musical talent and often at family reunions mom would be gathered with her brothers and sister around the piano singing folk music. Mom really enjoyed these times and her contagious, sometimes “snorting” laugh and beautiful smile will be deeply missed.
Opal was preceded in death by her parents, her older brother Alan, her niece and nephew Becky and Perrin Campbell, her nephew Mike Cromwell, and grandson Zachary Madison. Opal is survived by her husband Doug, four children Roger (Alyse), Sandee, Angee (KG), Ryan (Amanda) and 11 grandchildren; Lauren (Harrison), Victoria, Spencer, Royal, Kassidee, Flower, Lorelai, River, Lovina, Levi, and one great grandson on the way, her sister Peggy (Bob), and brothers Garth (Rochelle), Richard (Suzanne), Newell (Ivola) and Dirk (Rae).
Services under the direction of Relyea Funeral Chapel will be held Friday, December 14, at 12 p.m. with viewings to be held Thursday, December 13 from 5:00-7:00pm and Friday prior to the service from 11:00-11:45am. All services will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel, 6032 N. Five Mile Rd., Boise, ID. Interment will follow at Dry Creek Cemetery. Special thanks to the doctors and medical professionals that have cared for mom over the years!