In the little town of Bunceton, Missouri, December 13, 1899, Clara Belle Donley
  Cox and Henry Augustus Cox became the parents of a little girl; she was named Elta
  Opal. Opal had an older sister named Maude. In a few years a little boy was born
  to the Cox family; he was named Raymond.
     Opal moved with her family to Kansas in 1910. They purchased land east of Medicine
  Lodge. They could not get possession of the 160 acres at that time, so they lived a
  short while in Sharon. Later they moved to a farm, east and south of the homeplace.
  In a few years they were able to move to the homeplace. They proved up the farm by
  building a large barn, chicken house, smoke house, and a garage. In the meantime
  they purchased 160 acres of wheatland, which they later sold.
     Opal graduated from Medicine Lodge High School in 1918; she received a Normal
  Training Certificate to teach school. She attended Emporia State Teachers College and
  received a Life Certificate to teach school. She received her Bachelor of Science
  degree from Northwestern College of Alva, Oklahoma. She was on the Dean's and 
  President's Honor Roll. She is a member of the National Education Asociation, a
  Master Builder.
     After graduation from high school, Opal taught school for 43 years; two years in
  Lynn County and the remainder in Barber County - 13 years at Enon, 19 years in
  Medicine Lodge Grade School, two years at Sun City, and seven years in rural schools.
  She retired from teaching to attend to her many duties on the farm.
     Opal became interested in airplanes and in 1946 she received her diploma for
  soloing in a Piper Cub plane. Her instructor was S.A. Crownover of Medicine Lodge
  Flying Service, Inc.
     The Coxes were breaders of American Saddle horses. They owned a purebred stallion
  named Legee, who became the sire of many fine gentle riding horses in the state of
  Kansas. Being a horsewoman, Opal won many awards as the best lady rider of the
  Anthony horse shows.
     Opal won sweepstakes at the Kansas State Fair for an original afgan she designed.
  The reproduction rights were sold to Woman's Day Magazine. They named the afagan
  "Roman Strip."
     Active in community affairs, Opal is a member of Business and Professional Womans
  Club, American Cancer Society, Knife and Fork Club at Pratt, Pixley Birthday Club,
  Pleasant Hill Extension Homemakers Unit, Retired Teachers Association, Baptist Church,
  and a life member of the Barber County Historical Society. She has assisted with the
  Indian Peace Treaty Pageant several years, being an episode director and playing the
  role of teacher.
     Opal's mother passed away in 1950; her father in 1959; her sister Maude (Mrs Roy
  Harris), in 1956; her brother Raymond, in 1971.
     At present Opal lives on the homeplace. She has 160 acres of wheatland and pasture
  for grazing cattle. She enjoys being outside with her animals, which include her pet
  cats. Each Spring she enjoys her flowers and vegetable garden, having won many awards
  at Barber County Fair and Kansas State Fair.
     Opal likes the Garden Plaque that reads "The kiss of the sun for pardon, The song
  of the birs for mirth, One is nearer God's heart in the garden, Than anywhere else on
  earth."
  
                
     Source:Chosen Land - Barber County, Kansas,  pg. 143