Marolyn Opal Honea Lanier, 89, a longtime resident of Gillsburg, passed away and went to be with her heavenly father Dec. 20, 2025, in her McComb home with her family gathered by her side.  Visitation will be held on Monday, December 22, 2025 from 9:00 AM until services at 11:00 AM at Gillsburg Baptist Church.  Burial will follow in the Old Gillsburg Cemetery.  Dr. Victor Walsh will officiate.

Opal was born March 25, 1936, in McComb to Fred Williams and Hettie Genieve Bean Williams. She was an active member of Gillsburg Baptist Church and The Homemakers Class, raising her family in the church. After her children were grown and moved away, Opal's fun personality attracted many of the young children in the church who insisted on sitting by "Miss Opal" Sundays during church service.

Opal had a heart for her community and was deeply rooted in Gillsburg, where she was known for her kindness, generosity and servant's spirit. In recognition of her devotion to family and community, she was honored May of 2020 as Mother of the Year by the McComb Enterprise-Journal.

When interviewed by the EJ for the Mother of the Year award, she said she just wants to be remembered as blessed and being strong in faith. "I want to be remembered as a Christian mother that was always involved with the church," she said. "Our church is the center piece of us all."

Friends and family say Opal was a true Southern Belle who loved entertaining, large family gatherings and church fellowship. Her home and yard were always immaculate – welcoming, peaceful, and cared for with pride – just as she cared for everyone who crossed her path. Her wonderful pecan pies, Italian Cream Cheese Cake and cream cheese pies were favorites. Her family was her greatest joy and most important calling and she cherished her children and grandchildren with a love that was steady, selfless and enduring.

Opal grew up in Gillsburg, graduated from school there and later married her childhood sweetheart John Norman Honea, who was also from Gillsburg. She and John Norman lived in Fort Worth for a brief time while he was in the Air Force and then returned to Gillsburg in 1957 to take over his mother's dairy. They operated that dairy for years, receiving the Master Dairyman award in 1973. They will also be remembered for operating Honea's Grocery for many years.

In 2003, seven years after John Norman died, Opal married Dr. Lauren Lanier and began the second chapter of her life, incorporating his family into hers. She and Dr. Lanier spent many of the first years of their marriage traveling in their motor home around the United States and enjoyed several shared trips with a motor home group. They were also actively involved in the church and following the activities of their many children and grandchildren.

Opal was preceded in death by her first husband and the father of her children, John Norman Honea, and her husband Dr. Lauren Lanier, who died six weeks before her. She was also preceded in death by her parents, her brother Dalton Williams, and her sisters Annie Laurie Williams and Margie Wilson, her grandson Brian Hemphill, her daughter-in-law Denise Blailock Honea, her son-in-law Ben Gilbert and a stepson, Mark Lanier.

She is survived by her children Gary Honea (Janet), June Gilbert, and Rhonda Hemphill (Stuart); her grandchildren: Chris Honea (Cori), LeAnne Middleton(Stuart), Lacey Clayton (Dave), Josh Honea (Cody), Kane Honea (Justin), Trey Rooker (Whitney), Lynlee Maddren (Dave), Leighton Frederick (Jeremy), Ben Gilbert, Elise Tiernan (Scott), Lesli-Anne Glenn (Bill), Carey Hemphill (Kristen), Patrick Hemphill (Sara), Mallory Hemphill, 25 greatgrandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews who she loved dearly. She is survived by stepchildren Melinda Lanier, Chuck Lanier (Sandy), Sydney Lanier Weber (Jerry), Laney Lanier, and their children and grandchildren.

Pallbearers for the funeral are: Chris Honea, Josh Honea, Kane Honea, Trey Rooker, Stuart Middleton, Jeremy Frederick, Ben Gilbert, Carey Hemphill and Patrick Hemphill.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Gillsburg Baptist Church's youth building fund.

The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Compassus hospice and numerous caregivers for their loving care and compassion.