Orville Kirchner April 7, 1926 to June 16, 2012

Orville Louis Kirchner

Orville Louis Kirchner, age 86, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Saturday, June 16, 2012 at his residence.

Funeral services are 10:30 AM, on Thursday, June 21, 2012 at St. John's Lutheran Church in Yankton with Reverend David Gunderson officiating. Entombment will be at the Garden of Memories Cemetery in Yankton with military honors provided by the Ernest-Bowyer VFW Post No. 791. Visitation is from 5:00 to 8:00 PM, on Wednesday, at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a prayer service at 7:00 PM. Visitation resumes one hour prior to the funeral at the church.
Pallbearers are his sons: Darrell, Steven, Leslie, Terry, Kevin and Randy Kirchner.
Orville Louis Kirchner was born to Fred and Caroline Kirchner on April 7, 1926 on a farm southwest of Lawrence, NE. Orville was baptized on the 2nd of May, 1926 at Zion Lutheran Church near Lawrence, Ne. His sponsors were Louis Brandt and Clara Kirchner. His Christian education began with his parents and continued by attending grades one through eight at Zion Lutheran Parochial school. He was confirmed into the Christian faith by Rev. Walter Seefeldt in May 1940. After graduation, he went to Eckley High School, northwest of Guide Rock, NE, where he took part in baseball, basketball, and football, graduating in 1944. Orville entered military service on March 19, 1945. After serving in Okinawa, Japan, he was honorably discharged as a Tech 5 from the 176th Signal Replacement Company on November 28, 1946. After being in the service, he worked for the Navy Ammunition Depot located a few miles east of Hastings, NE as a carpenter's helper and a carpenter. After contracting polio in 1952, he worked as a time keeper there until they closed the depot. He then moved to Crete, NE and worked for Fairmont Foods, keeping an inventory of all frozen foods. In the fall of 1956, Orville moved to Huron, SD and worked in the USDA office there for a year. In the fall of 1957, he began working as a soil conservation service technician with the U.S. Dept of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service, in Yankton until his retirement in 1986. While working for the USDA, Orville continued his education by taking Ag related courses at Fort Robinson, NE and the Midwest Training Center in Lincoln, NE. In 1966, Orville was given a certificate of Merit Award in appreciation for his efforts in presenting the soil and water conservation story to rural school children in Yankton County and the Boy Scouts. In 1976, Orville received a letter of commendation from the U.S Dept of Agriculture Secretary Earl Butts for his service to the youth and farmers of Yankton County.
On April 18, 1954, Orville was united in marriage to Betty Bangert at Calvary Lutheran Church in Rosemont, NE where he was a charter member. This union was richly blessed with two girls and six boys. When they moved to Yankton, they became members of St John's Lutheran Church. At St John's, he served as an elder, trustee, Sunday school superintendent, sang in the choir for many years, and was also an active participant of the over 50 fellowship group. Orville was also a member of the VFW and served on the board of the Services Center Federal Credit Union for several years. Orville loved his family above all else. He was often found on the sidelines of soccer and softball games, cheering on his kids and grandkids, and rarely missed a game. He loved to instruct his loved ones in the growing pains of life. Orville loved to attend the grandkid's band competitions, concerts, and recitals. He also enjoyed the summer concert series. But more than anything, he loved to be surrounded by his family and share stories of himself and of his kids as they were growing up.
Orville is remembered, missed, and loved by his wife, Betty of Yankton; his eight children: Kathy (Mike) Larson of Boise, ID, Darrell of Yankton, Karen (Willie) Williams of St Augustine, FL, Steve (Julie R) of Yankton, Les (Julie A) of Yankton, Terry (Dawn) of St Augustine, FL, Kevin of Yankton, Randy (Susan) of Yankton; 16 grandchildren; 5 great grandchildren; sisters, Dorothy Krack of Chula Vista, CA and Florene Wolfe of Salem, OR; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
Orville was preceded in death by his parents, Fred and Caroline; sisters, Edna and Esther; brother, Lloyd; and granddaughters, Desirae and Hannah.