Buchanan, Orpha L.

BUCHANAN, ACKERMAN, STANLEY, PITT

Posted By: Bill Rathbun (email)
Date: 11/7/2004 at 20:56:52

Orpha L. Buchanan, 85, of 400 E. Pierce Ave., Fairfield, Iowa, died suddenly Tuesday morning, November 2, 2004, at the Jefferson County Hospital.

Orpha was born August 2, 1919, at Chanute, Kansas, to Anton A. and Beulah Stanley Ackerman. She married Dale E. Buchanan May 29, 1942, at the Old Cadet Chapel at West Point, New York.

She graduated from the high school and community college in Chanute and later completed laboratory technician training at St. Luke's Hospital in Kansas City, Missouri.

She was an Army wife, moving 21 times in the first 21 years of her marriage. She resided on or near Army installations throughout the United States, including Fort Leavenworth, KS; Fort Sill, OK; Fort Carson, CO; West Point, New York; and the Pentagon near Washington, D.C. She also spent two years in Tokyo, Japan, residing in the Japanese community.

On moving to Fairfield in June, 1963, she worked part time in the Parsons College Bookstore for 2 years and, during the tax season, worked in the Scott Jordan Law Office for 9 years.

She was a member of the Chapter MB, P.E.O., and an active member of the Presbyterian Church, serving as a deacon and member of the Presbyterian choir for many years. She was a member of the Fairfield Women's Club and its treasurer for a short time and chairman of the Red Cross Gray Ladies for 10 years. She was a member of AARP.

She was an avid golfer, winning the city and country club ladies championship several times. She also enjoyed playing bridge.

Orpha is survived by her husband, Dale Buchanan of Fairfield, Iowa; 2 sons and spouses, Col. (Ret.) Tim and Kathy Buchanan of Colorado Springs, CO, and Stanley and Marti Buchanan of rural Ottumwa, Iowa; and one daughter, Janet Pitt of Culpeper, Virginia. Also surviving are 11 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.

Memorial service for Orpha L. Buchanan will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning, Nov. 6, 2004, at the First Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Jan Burns-Hintze officiating. Her body was cremated. Burial of cremains will be at a later date.

The family requests memorials in lieu of flowers to the First Presbyterian Church or American Heart Assn.

Copied with the permission of the Fairfield Daily Ledger Inc. 2004