Opal Francis Cox Wells

Funeral services for Opal Francis Cox Wells, 95, will be held on Friday, March 20, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. at the Methodist Church in Hurricane, Louisiana. A visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. until the start of the service. Burial will follow in Hurricane Cemetery where she and her beloved pet, Bendi, will be laid to rest next to her late husband, Robert, and her other pet, Taft. Officiating the service will be Pastor Tommy Davidson. A visitation will be held on Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2500 Southside Dr. in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Opal was born on July 27, 1930 to Jim Ed and Esther Cox. She passed away on Monday, March 16, 2026 at The Guest House Nursing Home with her children by her side. The Guest House had been her home for the last three years where she received excellent care from her nurses, Amanda, Lacy, Kristie and CNA, Rose. They made sure her RC or pop would be on time.

Opal is survived by her daughter, Rita Ledbetter and husband, Danny; son, Ryan Wells; granddaughter, Brenda Rinaudo and husband, Andy; and sister, Eva Merle Hammond. She is preceded in death by her parents; her late husband, Robert; brother, James Olin Cox; and sister, Oneida Hayes.

Opal graduated from Athens High School in 1952. She moved to Shreveport and worked for the Credit Bureau. Rita came to live with Big Mama and Uncle James but Opal never missed a weekend coming to the Hurricane to see her riding that old Greyhound bus.

Opal married Robert later and had Ryan. Opal retired from the workforce to be a stay-at-home mother to Ryan and grandmother to Brenda and later neighborhood day care.

Opal was a plain spoken woman. If she thought it, she said it. Her favorite saying was, "I got news for you. You kids are going to drive me to the moon," or "I am driving this bus!" Her flyswatter was always handy where they could see it but never used.

Opal's hobby was gardening. If she had a spare moment, she was digging in the dirt as she called it.

We appreciate Francis Duron for making sure mama got her place reserved in heaven.

Honoring Opal as pallbearers will be Michael Hartman, Ken Ritter, David Diffy, Hank Jett, David Ray Cox, and Ronnie Allen. Serving as honorary pallbearers will be Eddy Driskill and Louis Christian.