Orvel Ohling, age 88, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Sunday, Aug. 11, 2024, at Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital in Rock Rapids, Iowa.
A funeral service was at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 15, 2024, at Bethel Reformed Church, rural Little Rock, Iowa, with Rev. Scott Van Ravenswaay officiating. Burial followed at the church cemetery. Visitation was one hour prior to the service at the church.
Arrangements were in the care of the Jurrens Funeral Home of Rock Rapids, Iowa.
Orvel Kenneth Ohling was born on June 23, 1936, in Midland Township to Klass and Jennie (DeBoer) Ohling. He attended country school in Midland Township and helped his dad with farming and later continued to farm until his retirement at the age of 82.
On April 18, 1958, he was united in marriage to Beatrix “Betty” Haan at Hills Christian Reformed Church. They were married for 66 years. To this union three daughters were born, Irene, Audrey, and Elaine. Orvel lived his life on the family farm for 83 years and took much pride in farming and dairy farming. Orvel was very proud of his family and loved family gatherings.
Orvel was a member of Bethel Reformed Church, rural Little Rock, where he served as an Elder and Deacon. He enjoyed spending time with family, taking bus trips, and riding their Side-by-Side with Betty. He also loved roller skating in his younger years. He always had pink petunias in his planters on the farm and also had a collection of Case tractors to match his equipment on the farm. Orvel volunteered his time working on wheelchairs for Hope Haven for 20 years. Orvel could also strike up a conversation with anyone he met. He will be greatly missed.
Orvel is survived by his wife Beatrix “Betty” Ohling; three daughters, Irene (Mike) Gacke, Audrey (Dave) Dobernecker, and Elaine (Dan) Rydell; seven grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren, Amanda (Paul) Sandbulte, and their children Michaella, Hunter, and Kailee; Brian Gacke and his children Briley and Bryatt; Lisa (BJ) Kruse and their children Cayden, Leo, Miles, and Violet; Jeremy Dobernecker (Jessica Rye) and their children, Dominic (fiancée Nevaeh Buskohl) and Ayden (special friend Trinity Johnson); Heather (Dylan) Klarenbeek and their children, Seth, Brekyn, and Korbin; Cassy Rydell (fiancé Cory Moon); and Nick (Summer) Rydell; and other extended family.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Klass and Jennie Ohling; brother Edward Herman Ohling at two years old; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Gertrude (Art) Timmer, and Johanna (Albert) Korthals; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Corse and Fannie Wiekeraad; and parents-in-law, Auko and Gertie Haan.
