Sampson John Rorvig (1910-1933)

RORVIG, KILSTOFTE

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 5/2/2010 at 11:38:05

The Roland Record, Roland, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, August 9, 1933.

Sam J. Rorvig (Sampson John Rorrvig) was born to his parents, Sampson S. Rorvig and Cecelia Aarthun, on the Rorvig homestead two and one fourth miles east of Roland on August 31, 1910.

In 1913, when Sam was two and a half years of age, the family moved to the town of Roland, where the departed grew to boyhood and later to manhood. The deceased was confirmed by his pastor, Rev. M. O. Sumstad, in the Bergen Lutheran church with the class of 1925. He attended the local grade and high school, from which he was graduated in the year of 1929. From that time on he has been farming the old Rorvig homestead in partnership with his brother-in-law, S. B. Kilstofte.

At the close of harvest Sam developed a very painful carbuncle on his right arm just below the elbow, from which infection resulted. On Tuesday, July 25, he entered the Mary Greeley hospital at Ames for treatment. His condition seemed to gradually improve and it was thought that he would be able to return home within a short time. However, on Friday evening he suddenly became worse. Lobar pneumonia developed during the night and he passed to his reward Sunday morning at the early age of 22 years, 10 months and 30 days.

He is survived by his aged father, who has been very ill since early this spring, his mother, and an only sister, Cecelia (Mrs. S. B. Kilstofte). Three infant brothers have preceded him in death.

A host of relatives and friends from near and far paid their last respects to the departed at the funeral services which were held from the home in Roland at 1:30 o'clock and at 2:00 o'clock from the Bergen church on Tuesday, August 1, with the pastor, Rev. M. O. Sumstad officiating. At the church Robert Boyd, a childhood pal of Sam's paid his tribute in a vocal solo. The pastor read a letter of sympathy by Ruth Sandven. At the close of the service, a quartet composed of young men, sang "Abide With Me." The pall bearers, all intimate friends of the deceased, were Joel Sandven, Erick Eggland, Milford Britson, Leslie Wierson, Erling Shold and Enoch Durby. Interment took place in the Roland cemetery.

Sam's sudden departure ws a distinct shock to the whole community. His quiet ways and his friendly disposition will be greatly missed, especially in the home where his place is now left vacant.

Following is the letter sent by Miss Sandven:

My Dear Mr. and Mrs. Rorvig and family:

I know that these are days of sorrow and heavy hearts in your lives. My prayer is that God will strengthen you and by His grace and love, this may even draw you closer to Him. It is so hard to understand these things that are permitted to come into the lives of God's children. You Say "I do not understand why God let my dear one be taken." Friends, you do not have to understand all God's ways with you. God does not expect you to understand them. You do not expect a child, your child, to understand, only believe. Some day you will see the glory of God in the things which you do not understand.

I have been through the valley of weeping,
The valley of sorrow and pain;
But the God of all comfort was with me,
At hand to uphold and sustain.

As the earth needs the clouds and sunshine,
Our souls need both sorrow and joy;
So He places us oft in the furnace,
The dross from the gold to destroy.

When He leads through some valley of trouble,
His omnipotent hand we trace;
For the trials and sorrows He sends us,
Are part of His lessons in grace.

Oft we shrink from the purging and pruning,
Forgetting the Husbandman knows
That the deeper the cutting and paining
The richer the cluster that grows.

As we travel thru life's shadowed valley,
Fresh springs of His love ever rise;
And we learn that our sorrows and losses,
Are blessings just sent in disguise.

So we'll follow wherever He leadeth,
Let the path be dreary or bright;
For we've proved that god can give comfort,
Our God can give songs in the night.

May God's comfort, bless and strengthen you all.

With sincere sympathy,
Ruth Sandven.

The Roland Record, Roland, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, August 16, 1933.

[Photo included with article.]

SAM J. RORVIG

The following poem by James Whitcomb Riley was sent to the family of Sam J. Rorvig, whose funeral was held two weeks ago, by his high school classmates, the class of 1929, and is printed in his commemoration:

He Is Just Away

I cannot say, and I will not say
That he is dead. He is just away!
With a cheery smile and a wave of the hand
He has wandered into an unknown land.

And has left us dreaming how very fair
it needs must be, since he lingers there,
And you - oh you, who the wildest yearn
For the old-time step and the glad return.

Think of him as faring on, as dear
In the love of There as the love of Here
Think of him still as the same, I say,
He is not dead - he is just away!