Paul Francis Oppy passed away August 5th, 2010 at the Vaughn Regional Medical Center. He was born October 6th, 1917 in Linden, In.

He was the son of Harry B. and Mabel E. Oppy (both deceased).

He was married December 5th, 1941 to Florence Turner Derrryberry (deceased) of Selma, Al.

He is survived by his two sons, Paul Francis Oppy, Jr. of Milledgeville, Ga. and Ralph Derryberry Oppy of Macon, Ga., five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Lt. Col. Oppy’s first airplane flight at the age of 8 sparked a lifelong passion for flying. He earned his pilot’s wings at Craig Field in class 41F and continued on to a distinguished 25 year career in the U.S. Air Force.

He retired to Selma in 1965. He returned to the University of Alabama where he earned a Master of the Arts degree in Education, after which he coached, taught, and worked as an administrator at schools in Centerville and Selma.

Lt. Col. Oppy was a member of First Baptist Church, Order of Daedalians (the fraternal order of military pilots), Freemasons, Benevolent Paternal Order of Elks, and the North Alabama Cherokee Tribe.

Visitation will be held at Lawrence Brown-Service Funeral Home from 6 to 8 PM, Friday, August 6th, 2010.

The graveside service will be held in the New Live Oak Cemetery at 9 AM, Saturday, August 7th, 2010.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to the American Cancer Society in honor of his loving wife, Flossie.

Please visit http://www.lawrencebrownservice.com to make online condolences to the family.