WESTERLO — An expressive opera singer who could blend with her church choir, Jean K. Opdycke was focused on her family and on God.

Mrs. Opdycke died on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2014. She was 86.

Originally from Washington, New Jersey, Mrs. Opdycke spent her later years in Westerlo as a member of the First Baptist Church of Westerlo. She worked for Pastor Donald Lyon at Camp Pinnacle, where her husband, Joseph Opdycke, maintained the grounds and gardens. When Rev. Lyon returned to leading the Baptist church, Mrs. Opdycke worked as his secretary there, retiring in 2009, while Mr. Opdycke was the church’s custodian.

Mrs. Opdycke met her husband while she was studying bookkeeping at Ryder College in New Jersey. She took opera singing lessons in New York City then, her teacher’s eyes set on the Metropolitan Opera House.

“She was that good,” said her daughter, Gaye Newbegin, who is a music teacher and directed her mother in the church choir. “But she met a farmer at a youth Grange meeting and they were in a play together, and she was the wife and he was the hen-pecked husband and it progressed from there.”

The only son of a farmer, Joseph Opdycke preferred living in a rural town. He dug victory gardens with mules, his daughter said.

He proposed marriage to Mrs. Opdycke in a rowboat on Budd Lake in 1945.

“They were out in the middle of the lake and somebody put a spotlight on them, and they heard all sirens going off,” their daughter recounted. “Well, the war was over and he’s rowing in circles because he’s all befuddled by the bugs and the spotlight.”

They were married and had a dairy farm outside of Washington, New Jersey. Mrs. Opdycke wasn’t regretful about her path.

“They were extremely happy together their entire marriage,” said Mrs. Newbegin.

Mr. Opdycke died on April 27, 2001.

Her love of music began before she met her husband and continued after his death.

Born on June 2, 1928 in Washington, New Jersey, to William W. and Katherine Castner Farley, Mrs. Opdycke began singing as a girl. She performed at church functions and weddings, sometimes on piano, singing with her father.

Mrs. Opdycke originally lived with her grandparents and parents in the same home. She was an only child until she was 14 and her brother was born. The adults in her life were at times so busy she played in the park near her house all day, her daughter said.

She was a precocious musician, singing in high school and all-state choruses. When she lived in Westerlo, Mrs. Opdycke directed hand-bell choirs and sang solos with the choir.

Before moving to Westerlo, the Opdyckes moved from New Jersey to a farm in Pennsylvania. After five years, they moved to be closer to their daughter, Gaye Newbegin, in Westerlo and enjoyed the rural way of life, living in a section of the Camp Pinnacle property known as “Altavista.”

From their porch, the Opdyckes could see out onto the treetops of the escarpment making up the John Boyd Thacher State Park.

Mrs. Newbegin said her mother had a restless energy.

“She was a support-type person,” said Mrs. Newbegin. “She was not trying to be the leader, she was not trying to be outstanding, she just really wasn’t. She was just trying to be supportive and caring, and working for the Lord.”

****

Jean K. Opdycke is survived by three children, Gaye Newbegin and her husband, Robert, Mark Opdycke and his wife, Kathy, and Dana Opdycke and his wife, Barbara; six grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; one brother, William Farley; and several nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Her son Joseph C. Opdycke Jr. died before her, as did her parents and her husband.

A calling hour will begin at 10 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 10, at the First Baptist Church, 618 Route 143, Westerlo, followed by a memorial service and celebration of her Mrs. Opdycke’s life at 11 a.m.  Refreshments and fellowship will follow.  The burial of her ashes will be on Saturday, Oct. 11, 1:30 p.m. at Port Murray Cemetery in New Jersey.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church Memorial Fund, Post Office Box 130, Westerlo, NY 12193. Mourners may go online to ajcunninghamfh.com.

— Marcello Iaia