Dr. Edward Ortell (1919-2014)

ORTELL, SMITH, ABRAMS, SEYARTO, SAGERS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 1/15/2015 at 17:18:06

Dr. Edward D. "Eddie" Ortell, died peacefully on Tuesday morning, December 23, 2014, at the Crestridge Care Center in Maquoketa, Iowa.
A celebration of Edward's life will be held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, December 27, 2014, at the East Iron Hill Community Church, rural Maquoketa. Visitation will be held from 4 to 6 P.M. on Friday, December 26, 2014, at the Carson Celebration of Life Center in Maquoketa. Additional services will be held in California with burial in the Forest Lawn Cemetery, Covina, California. Edward Dillon Ortell was born on April 29, 1919 in Maquoketa, Iowa, to John Ortell and Maude Eve (Smith) Ortell Abrams. He was a World War II veteran of the Army Air Force earning an honorable discharge with the rank of Lieutenant. He married June Pauline Sagers on September 24, 1938 in Dubuque, Iowa. To this union three children were born: Edward C., Michael N. and October Dawn. Eddie was an accomplished man who loved life, teaching and learning. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Dubuque in 1951, Masters from the University of Iowa in 1955, and his Phd in Astronomy from Nova University in 1975. It was this thirst for knowledge that led him into the teaching field. He served as a principal and teacher in the Andrew schools and was a K-12 teacher in Monmouth and Iron Hill for many years. He then became the Professor of Astronomy at El Camino College in California, and lastly held the same position at the University of Dubuque. Eddie was a member of the East Iron Hill Community Church and the Sierra Madre United Methodist Church. He was active in many organizations and generous with his time, talent and resources. Some of the organizations that benefited from his involvement were the Friends of Griffith Observatory, and the Pacific Planetarium Association where he was a past president. He also was a member of the Reserve Officers veterans organization in Duarte, California. Eddie loved the Chicago Cubs and baseball. He had been a catcher on the Maquoketa Bears baseball team and had participated in a Fantasy baseball camp at the age of 75. He enjoyed boxing in his youth, and singing. He sang passionately and had the opportunity to sing at the Smithsonian in Washington D.C. He also was the talented author of two books on Astronomy. Those left to honor Edwards's memory include his children, Edward C. "Echo" (Nancy) Ortell of Duarte, CA, Michael N. "Mickey" (Connie) Ortell of Huntington Beach, CA, and October Dawn Seyarto of LaVerne, CA; 11 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild; and a sister-in-law, Oma Sagers of Maquoketa, IA. He was preceded in death by his parents, 4 brothers George Ortell, Harold Ortell, John Abrams and Alva Abrams, 2 sisters Imogene Fistonich and Marge Lange, and his wife June on October 11, 1996. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be directed to the Jackson County Humane Society, or Hospice of Jackson County.