Orville F. Berger,
age 97, of Waterville, passed away on Friday, December 9, 2011 at the Blue
Valley Nursing Home in Blue Rapids.
Orville
was born at Barnes on June 22, 1914 to Fred and Clara A. (Blaser) Berger.
He attended Barnes High School then began farming.
He married Kathryn Mae Klocke at her parent’s home south of Barnes.
She passed away in 1980.
On
April 3, 1943 he joined the US Army and served in the European Theater of
Operations during WWII. He landed on
Utah Beach at about 3PM on D-Day, June 6th, 1944.
His Campaign Ribbon carried stars for Normandy, Northern France, the
Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe. Orville
was trained as a Radio Operator and Telegrapher.
He was also a Bronze Star recipient.
After
WWII he lived on the family farm until his “retirement” in 1979 when he
moved to Waterville. In his career
as a farmer he witnessed many changes, beginning with horses to work the fields
as a boy, he worked his last field in a 4WD tractor.
Orville
was a member of St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Waterville.
He had been active in his community as a member of the John Doerr Post
145 of the American Legion in Barnes, VFW Post 4175 in Blue Rapids, the
Waterville Lions Club, Oddfellows, Rebekahs and the Washington County Farmer’s
Union. He was also the unofficial
“Weather Guesser”, recording the daily temperatures, rain and snow for the
local newspaper.
His
survivors include two sons; Delvin Berger and wife Elaine of Barnes, Ivan Berger
and wife Janet of Waterville, by four grandchildren and three
great-grandchildren. He was preceded
in death by his parents, his wife Kathryn, a son Rollin Berger, a grandson,
Kurtis Berger and a brother, Floyd Berger.
Viewing
will be from Noon until 8:00 pm on Monday at Terry-Christie Funeral Home in
Waterville with Orville’s family receiving guests from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the
funeral home.
Funeral
services are planned for 10:00 am, Tuesday, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in
Waterville with Pastor Sonja Sandquist officiating.
Burial will be at Riverside Cemetery in Waterville with Military Honors
by an Army Detail from Fort Leavenworth and the John Doerr Post 145 of the
American Legion in Barnes.
Memorials
are suggested to the Orville Berger Memorial Fund to be designated later and may
be sent to Terry-Christie Funeral Home at PO Box 61, Waterville, Kansas 66548.
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