WITTE, Orville Donald 1919 - 2016

WITTE, HOWELL

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 12/30/2017 at 23:19:40

Orville D. Witte, 97, of Rockwell, died Thursday afternoon, April 28, 2016, at the Rockwell Community Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 2, 2016, at St. Peter Lutheran Church, 502 Second St. S., Rockwell, Iowa. Officiating will be the Rev. Rhea Evanson. Visitation will be from 3 until 5 p.m. Sunday at the church. Interment will be in Rockwell Cemetery.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.Fullertonfh.com, or Facebook/Fullertonfuneralhomes.

Orville Donald was born the second of three children to Albert and Mary Witte. His childhood education was at the Bath Township School and then he graduated with the Rockwell High School class of 1935. He continued his education at the Mason City Junior College, graduating in 1937 with an AA degree.

He farmed all of his life and well into his 90s. His farm became a century farm with over a hundred years of his family owning and operating it.

He was united in marriage to Marilyn Howell on December 30, 1970, at St. Peter Lutheran Church. They together worked side by side, planting and harvesting crops, raising cattle, hogs, and chickens. In the early days he did the work with a team of horses. He was known as a hard worker and was excellent at running the hay fork during baling time. In his college days he was a pitcher for the junior college and had a 19-strike-out game one day. He also obtained his pilot’s license and joined the Civil Air Patrol during WWII.

Many people will remember him singing for hundreds of funerals all over North Iowa for many friends and families. He was very active in the neighborhood and the town of Rockwell. He helped pour the cement on the first swimming pool in Rockwell. He was the secretary for the Farmers Coop in Rockwell for 9 years from 1968-1977. He was a 50-plus-year member of the Rockwell Lions, serving as president and 23 years as secretary. During his years in Lions, he received the Melvin Jones Award and the Warren Coleman Award. He was also a member of the Mason City Adult Farmers and received the Honorary Chapter Farmer award from the FFA. He was co-chairman of the sweet corn cooking crew for the Rockwell Chicken Barbeque for many years.

Those thankful in sharing Orville’s life include his son Roger and his wife Brandie, four grandchildren Collin, Brett, Katelyn and Nathan, all of Rockwell; his sister-in-law Mary Howell, of Hiawatha, IA; and several nieces and nephews.

His parents, wife Marilyn who died June 13, 2013, and two brothers Irvin and Virgil Witte preceded him in death.

Fullerton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 120 S. Third St., Rockwell, Iowa, 641-822-3191, www.Fullertonfh.com.