Lyle K. Opsal
BLUE MOUNDS – Lyle K. Opsal, age 72, of Blue Mounds Township, passed away on Monday, Oct. 5, 2020, at his home—his deeply cherished Opsal’s Ridge—after a long and courageous struggle with progressive supranuclear palsy.
He was born on March 20, 1948—the first day of spring—in Madison, to Boyd Lyle and Sybilla Irene (Bernards) Opsal.
As a child, Lyle was a student at the one-room Erbe Country School. Later, he attended and graduated from Mount Horeb High School where he met his love and partner in life, Deanna L. Hendrickson, whom he married on July 28, 1965. Together, they invested their lives in caretaking the rolling hills, productive pastures, and dense woodlands that makes up Opsal’s Ridge Dairy Farm. Lyle was a lifelong dairy farmer and breeder of Registered Holstein cattle. He was especially proud to be honored this year by the U.S. Holstein Association as a 40-year member.
While Lyle devoted much of his time to the farm, he always found time to enjoy other life passions. With friends in his earlier years, he was known as a spectacular pitcher on his slow pitch softball team and he also enjoyed tossing a hook ball down the bowling alley. He was a Packers and Badgers fan, but he was particularly enthusiastic about a night out on the town with his wife to watch the University of Wisconsin Women’s Volleyball team play at the Field House. Lyle loved country music and read western novels voraciously. And, he found tremendous joy supporting his children and grandchildren as they showed Opsal Ridge cattle at local, county, state, and national shows. With laughter and affection, his family will remember the small but precious things that made Lyle dad, grandpa, and husband: his quick and witty one-liners; his commitment to ice cream as a food group; his fondness of the scent of Old Spice After Shave; and, especially, his charming, easy-going, and welcoming smile.
Lyle is survived by his wife, Deanna Opsal; children, Troy Opsal, Travis (Leslie) Opsal, and Tara (Todd Riddle) Opsal; nine grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; brother, James (Barb) Opsal; sister, Shirley (Bob) Mazanet; brothers-in-law, Jeffrey (Kate) and Larry (Marie) Hendrickson; and nieces and nephews.
He was welcomed, upon his passing, by beloveds who preceded him in death: his son, Thad Opsal; parents, Boyd and Sybilla Opsal; in-laws, Homer and Avis Hendrickson; brother-in-law, Jerome Hendrickson; and nephew, Trevor A. Hendrickson.
A private memorial service will be held in honor of Lyle at Gunderson Camacho Funeral and Cremation Care, Mount Horeb, with the Rev. John Twiton presiding. A private burial will be held at Northside Cemetery.
A heartfelt thank you to Agrace HospiceCare as well as other caregivers who provided such important care of and support to Lyle and his family.
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, donations made to the family will be used to honor causes special to them. Please share memories and condolences online at www.gundersonfh.com.
Gunderson Camacho Mount Horeb
Funeral & Cremation Care
500 N. Eighth St.
(608) 437-5077
