Harold James Orr 1944 - 2011

ORR, PILLING, LONG, HENDERSON , JONES

Posted By: Deb (email)
Date: 11/15/2014 at 08:25:49

Harold James "Jim" Orr, 67, of 402 Park St., Mediapolis, entered heaven on Monday, May 30, 2011, surrounded by his wife and children. He was born March 24, 1944, in Burlington, IA, the son of Paul C & Dorothy L. (Pilling) Orr and named in honor of two veterans who were killed during WWII. He married Peggy Ann Long on May 8, 1966, who lives in Perry, MO. On August 1, 1975, he married Billie Kay (Henderson) Jones who survives.

He will be missed by Paul Eugene Russell "Rusty" Orr (Michele) of Mediapolis, Tammey Gidgette Orr of Perry, MO, and Shelley Dawn Martin (Michael) of Flower Mound, TX, and grandsons, Austin Paul, Jacob Alan & Caleb Matthew Orr of Mediapolis. Jim is also survived by siblings, Charles Russell "Rusty" Orr (Sandra) and Marlene Louise Beckman (Robert), both of Mediapolis and Paul Robert Orr (Judi) of Burlington and numerous other relatives.

Jim was a 1962 graduate of Mediapolis High School, where he competed in basketball and track. He competed in the 1962 Drake relays coming in 4th in the mile event and held the mile record for Mediapolis for many years. Jim also loved basketball, and on one night before the 3-point shot, he scored 34 points. He enjoyed telling of a basketball game win over Winfield when Mediapolis ended the game with 3 players and Winfield with 4 players on the cour - the others having fouled out or being tossed from the game.

Jim was a Private First Class in the United States Army, receiving his basic and demolition training at Fort Leonardwood, MO. He was a decorated sharpshooter. He completed his military service with the Missouri Army National Guard.

While attending Northeast Missouri State Teacher's College at Kirksville, he became so interested in car racing that later he leased and operated a race track at Keokuk for two seasons but the passion continued throughout his lifetime. Jim was an imaginative, competitive and successful entrepreneur. He was instrumental in developing the Mediapolis Mobile Home Court, the Christian Bookstore, miniature golf course and several sales groups for which he won trips to various parts of the world including Russia, Spain, Mexico, Portugal and England.

He was a former Mediapolis Jr. Farmers 4-H member and during his high school years showed cattle at the Des Moines Co. Fair, and was a former Elder of the Mediapolis First Presbyterian Church. In his later years along with his wife, Billie, from their home in Camdenton, MO, he made many trips to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota delivering donated goods. He was upset by the way the Bureau of Indian Affairs mistreated the Indians by encouraging dependence.

The funeral services will be held at 10:00 AM on Friday, June 3, 2011, at the Hagele and Honts Funeral Home in Mediapolis, with Pastor Nick Stutseman officiating. Burial will be in Kossuth Cemetery. Friends may call from 2:00 to 7:00 PM on Thursday at the Hagele and Honts Funeral Home in Mediapolis, where the family will meet with friends from 5:00 to 7:00 PM. Donations, in lieu of flowers, can be made to TIPI Ministries, a Christian outreach to Native Americans, in memory of Jim.