"What's the weather like?" was his greeting to everyone who called.
Orville was born in Colton, the youngest child of Ursula Dahmen and Charles Mayer. He attended school in Colton, graduating from high school in 1947. He was taken from his family as a result of a rare cancer in Sun City West, Ariz.
He met the love of his life at a dance in Lewiston, Clara Mae Verzani, and then later married her Nov. 15, 1950, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Lewiston.
Married life started on a dairy farm just outside Colton, and then in 1966 he sold the dairy and started working for Johnson Union Warehouse in Johnson, as the assistant manager. He continued there until 1975 when he accepted the manager position at St. John Grain Growers in St. John, Wash., and retired in May 1992 from the grain industry.
Orville held many different positions during his lifetime associated with the grain industry. He was a director on the Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed Association, North Pacific Grain Growers, Washington Wheat Commission, and the National Grain and Feed Association.
He also was chairman of the Manager's Association for Harvest States Cooperatives and he was a member of the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives. While serving as a board member of the Washington Wheat Commission, he traveled to Australia and New Zealand to learn new concepts of wheat storage. His duties also included traveling to the Orient, visiting Hong Kong, Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea and Tokyo to promote white wheat sales.
Orville was president of the Whitman County Dairy Association and chairman of the Colton Public School Board; a life member of the Elks Lodge; and a 67-year member of the Grange as well as a member of the National Grange. He was also a life member of the Colton Knights of Columbus - one of his proudest moments was when his family was chosen as "Family of the Month" in 1984.
Family meant the world to Orville. In retirement life, he enjoyed woodworking and rebuilt the kitchens of his children's homes, and accomplished many other projects.
A favorite pastime was playing pinochle with his family and friends. He took "all his children" under his wing and shared with them his knowledge on so many different subjects.
Orville and Clara traveled extensively throughout the United States; only a few states they did not visit. However, they were able to travel to Europe, visiting Belgium, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Denmark, enjoying the countryside and meeting people. They moved to Surprise, Ariz., in their retirement years to enjoy the hospitality of the Southwest, the warm sunshine and golf. There Orville excelled in his golf game; he was among the elite group of golfers to make a hole-in-one. His favorite color was green - he loved watching the new growth in the fields turn to amber waves of grain.
Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Recitation of the rosary will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, with a celebration of a funeral Mass of Resurrection immediately following at St. Gall's Catholic Church in Colton.
Memorials in Orville's name may be made to the House of Charity, P.O. Box 2253, Spokane, WA 99210; or to a charity of donor's choice.
February 20, 2011
Orville was born in Colton, the youngest child of Ursula Dahmen and Charles Mayer. He attended school in Colton, graduating from high school in 1947. He was taken from his family as a result of a rare cancer in Sun City West, Ariz.
He met the love of his life at a dance in Lewiston, Clara Mae Verzani, and then later married her Nov. 15, 1950, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Lewiston.
Married life started on a dairy farm just outside Colton, and then in 1966 he sold the dairy and started working for Johnson Union Warehouse in Johnson, as the assistant manager. He continued there until 1975 when he accepted the manager position at St. John Grain Growers in St. John, Wash., and retired in May 1992 from the grain industry.
Orville held many different positions during his lifetime associated with the grain industry. He was a director on the Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed Association, North Pacific Grain Growers, Washington Wheat Commission, and the National Grain and Feed Association.
He also was chairman of the Manager's Association for Harvest States Cooperatives and he was a member of the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives. While serving as a board member of the Washington Wheat Commission, he traveled to Australia and New Zealand to learn new concepts of wheat storage. His duties also included traveling to the Orient, visiting Hong Kong, Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea and Tokyo to promote white wheat sales.
Orville was president of the Whitman County Dairy Association and chairman of the Colton Public School Board; a life member of the Elks Lodge; and a 67-year member of the Grange as well as a member of the National Grange. He was also a life member of the Colton Knights of Columbus - one of his proudest moments was when his family was chosen as "Family of the Month" in 1984.
Family meant the world to Orville. In retirement life, he enjoyed woodworking and rebuilt the kitchens of his children's homes, and accomplished many other projects.
A favorite pastime was playing pinochle with his family and friends. He took "all his children" under his wing and shared with them his knowledge on so many different subjects.
Orville and Clara traveled extensively throughout the United States; only a few states they did not visit. However, they were able to travel to Europe, visiting Belgium, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Denmark, enjoying the countryside and meeting people. They moved to Surprise, Ariz., in their retirement years to enjoy the hospitality of the Southwest, the warm sunshine and golf. There Orville excelled in his golf game; he was among the elite group of golfers to make a hole-in-one. His favorite color was green - he loved watching the new growth in the fields turn to amber waves of grain.
Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Recitation of the rosary will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, with a celebration of a funeral Mass of Resurrection immediately following at St. Gall's Catholic Church in Colton.
Memorials in Orville's name may be made to the House of Charity, P.O. Box 2253, Spokane, WA 99210; or to a charity of donor's choice.
February 20, 2011
"What's the weather like?" was his greeting to everyone who called.
Orville was born in Colton, the youngest child of Ursula Dahmen and Charles Mayer. He attended school in Colton, graduating from high school in 1947. He was taken from his family as a result of a rare cancer in Sun City West, Ariz.
He met the love of his life at a dance in Lewiston, Clara Mae Verzani, and then later married her Nov. 15, 1950, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Lewiston.
Married life started on a dairy farm just outside Colton, and then in 1966 he sold the dairy and started working for Johnson Union Warehouse in Johnson, as the assistant manager. He continued there until 1975 when he accepted the manager position at St. John Grain Growers in St. John, Wash., and retired in May 1992 from the grain industry.
Orville held many different positions during his lifetime associated with the grain industry. He was a director on the Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed Association, North Pacific Grain Growers, Washington Wheat Commission, and the National Grain and Feed Association.
He also was chairman of the Manager's Association for Harvest States Cooperatives and he was a member of the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives. While serving as a board member of the Washington Wheat Commission, he traveled to Australia and New Zealand to learn new concepts of wheat storage. His duties also included traveling to the Orient, visiting Hong Kong, Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea and Tokyo to promote white wheat sales.
Orville was president of the Whitman County Dairy Association and chairman of the Colton Public School Board; a life member of the Elks Lodge; and a 67-year member of the Grange as well as a member of the National Grange. He was also a life member of the Colton Knights of Columbus - one of his proudest moments was when his family was chosen as "Family of the Month" in 1984.
Family meant the world to Orville. In retirement life, he enjoyed woodworking and rebuilt the kitchens of his children's homes, and accomplished many other projects.
A favorite pastime was playing pinochle with his family and friends. He took "all his children" under his wing and shared with them his knowledge on so many different subjects.
Orville and Clara traveled extensively throughout the United States; only a few states they did not visit. However, they were able to travel to Europe, visiting Belgium, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Denmark, enjoying the countryside and meeting people. They moved to Surprise, Ariz., in their retirement years to enjoy the hospitality of the Southwest, the warm sunshine and golf. There Orville excelled in his golf game; he was among the elite group of golfers to make a hole-in-one. His favorite color was green - he loved watching the new growth in the fields turn to amber waves of grain.
Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Recitation of the rosary will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, with a celebration of a funeral Mass of Resurrection immediately following at St. Gall's Catholic Church in Colton.
Memorials in Orville's name may be made to the House of Charity, P.O. Box 2253, Spokane, WA 99210; or to a charity of donor's choice.
February 20, 2011
Orville was born in Colton, the youngest child of Ursula Dahmen and Charles Mayer. He attended school in Colton, graduating from high school in 1947. He was taken from his family as a result of a rare cancer in Sun City West, Ariz.
He met the love of his life at a dance in Lewiston, Clara Mae Verzani, and then later married her Nov. 15, 1950, at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Lewiston.
Married life started on a dairy farm just outside Colton, and then in 1966 he sold the dairy and started working for Johnson Union Warehouse in Johnson, as the assistant manager. He continued there until 1975 when he accepted the manager position at St. John Grain Growers in St. John, Wash., and retired in May 1992 from the grain industry.
Orville held many different positions during his lifetime associated with the grain industry. He was a director on the Pacific Northwest Grain and Feed Association, North Pacific Grain Growers, Washington Wheat Commission, and the National Grain and Feed Association.
He also was chairman of the Manager's Association for Harvest States Cooperatives and he was a member of the National Society of Accountants for Cooperatives. While serving as a board member of the Washington Wheat Commission, he traveled to Australia and New Zealand to learn new concepts of wheat storage. His duties also included traveling to the Orient, visiting Hong Kong, Bangkok, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, Philippines, Korea and Tokyo to promote white wheat sales.
Orville was president of the Whitman County Dairy Association and chairman of the Colton Public School Board; a life member of the Elks Lodge; and a 67-year member of the Grange as well as a member of the National Grange. He was also a life member of the Colton Knights of Columbus - one of his proudest moments was when his family was chosen as "Family of the Month" in 1984.
Family meant the world to Orville. In retirement life, he enjoyed woodworking and rebuilt the kitchens of his children's homes, and accomplished many other projects.
A favorite pastime was playing pinochle with his family and friends. He took "all his children" under his wing and shared with them his knowledge on so many different subjects.
Orville and Clara traveled extensively throughout the United States; only a few states they did not visit. However, they were able to travel to Europe, visiting Belgium, Germany, Holland, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Denmark, enjoying the countryside and meeting people. They moved to Surprise, Ariz., in their retirement years to enjoy the hospitality of the Southwest, the warm sunshine and golf. There Orville excelled in his golf game; he was among the elite group of golfers to make a hole-in-one. His favorite color was green - he loved watching the new growth in the fields turn to amber waves of grain.
Kimball Funeral Home in Pullman is entrusted with the care of final arrangements. Recitation of the rosary will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, with a celebration of a funeral Mass of Resurrection immediately following at St. Gall's Catholic Church in Colton.
Memorials in Orville's name may be made to the House of Charity, P.O. Box 2253, Spokane, WA 99210; or to a charity of donor's choice.
February 20, 2011
Family Members
Siblings
Half Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
