Orville Baethke

Orville Baethke, age 80, of Elma, IA died on Monday, November 3, 2008 at St. Marys Hospital in Rochester, MN following complications from aortic dissection and multiple aneurysms. Orville William Baethke was born on April 5, 1928 to Charles and Amanda (Schwake) Baethke in Elma, IA. He attended rural schools. He move to Waterloo and worked four years at John Deere, Chamberlain and Raths packing plant. Orville was united in marriage to Dorothy Beck on November 19, 1948 at Little Brown Church in Nashua, IA and to this marriage three children were born. Orville and Dorothy moved to a farm north of Elma in 1951 where they lived to the present. Orville took pride in farming with his sons. He loved fishing in Minnesota and Canada, but hated to throw the big ones back. He loved visiting with anyone and everyone. He especially enjoyed spending time with his children, grand children and great grand children. Orville also enjoyed wintering in Apache Junction, AZ with his wife for 22 years of his life. He was a lifetime member of St. Pauls Maple Leaf church where he served in various ways and was on the board of Howard County Equity for many years. Orville will be sadly missed by his wife Dorothy of Elma; three children Richard (Carol) Baethke of Lime Springs, Susan (Ronald) Norman of Lime Springs and David (Diane) Baethke of Elma; 11 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; one brother Wilfred (Deloras) Baethke of Waterloo; sister-in-law Phyllis Baethke of Waterloo; two brother-in-laws Kenneth (Maxine) Stover of Saratoga and Dale (Shirley) Beck of New Hampton; many nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors. He is preceded in death by his parents; one brother Carl Baethke; one sister Mildred Stover and one brother-in-law Don Beck. Cemetery: Burial will be in Saratoga Township Cemetery, Saratoga, IA. Grandchildren serving as casket bearers Michelle (Daniel) Ring, Becky (Andrew) Rempfer, Dawn (Brian) Lubbert, Billy Norman, Douglas (Erica) Baethke, Jill Baethke, Lee Baethke, Wendy (Jackson) Dohlman, Bobbi (Tony) Alstat, Brady Norman and Roxanne Baethke serving as casket bearers. Visitation: Visitation will be 4:00-8:00pm on Friday, November 7, 2008 at Conway-Kolbet Funeral Home in Elma and will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Service: Funeral services will be 10:30am on Saturday, November 8, 2008 at St. Pauls Maple Leaf Lutheran Church with Pastor Dan Christensen officiating.