Ordell Vee

Ordell Terrance Vee, Sr. age 89 passed on to join his family and friends that went before him on Friday, June 21, 2013, at the Good Samaritan Nursing Home in Jackson but he resided in Linden Township most of his life. Due to failing health he moved from Linden Township to town in 2005 and lived in Madelia, New Ulm and as his health worsened he spent time in nursing homes in Mountain Lake, St. James, Madelia, Luverne and Jackson. Born in Linden Township on the Vee farm, rural Hanska, Minnesota on July 26, 1923, he was the son of Theodore and Tina (Strom) Vee. Ordell married Monica Turbes on February 21, 1950, they had six sons and four daughters and divorced in 1998. During the marriage Ordell worked as a farm hand, had a milk hauling business, farmed with his father for a few years and worked for Brown Country, where the physical condition of his back resulted in a disability retirement, the chronic pain of the disability plagued him the rest of his life. In years past when his health was better, he had been a member and supporter of Veterans groups and the Sons of Norway, he was also a disabled veteran. Ordell served in the U.S. Navy during World War II aboard the cruiser U.S.S. Honolulu in the Pacific as a Gunners Mate, the ship was involved in many combat engagements, on October 20, 1944 at about 1600 hours the ship was hit by a Japanese torpedo, killing 83 sailors in a berthing area of the ship. Had Ordell not left the area for gun crew duty 15 minutes early, there would have been 84 sailors killed in the berthing area of the ship that day instead of 83; the military action was the battle of Leyte to take back the Philippine Islands. Ordell like many other veterans would rarely if ever talk about any combat engagements during the war, only in his later years when reconnecting with his old gun crew mates did any old stories become known, in just the last year he became the last one still living from his gun crew. Ordell enjoyed family gatherings, good food, playing cards, fishing, hunting in his early years, old farm tractors, a good sense of humor, a good Western movie and every now and then a good stiff drink, though in later years, just a beer or two, especially on a hot day, he also very much enjoyed reconnecting with his old gun crew mates after so many years had passed. Ordell is survived by his sons, Ordell, Jr. Terry (Dee Clark) Vee of Madelia, Robert (Arlene) Vee of Jackson, David (Dawn) Vee of Hanska, Daniel (Becky Seidl) Vee of Madelia, Anthony Tony (Leah) Vee of New Ulm, daughters, Mary (Lawrence Redmond) Vee of Ramsey, LuAnn (Robert) Dostal of Madelia, Patricia Barnhart of Hanska and Nancy (Evan) Lloyd of Paris, Texas; sisters, Lorraine Ellanson of Lake Crystal, Beatrice (Robert) Schwingler of Darwin and brother, Harlan Vee of Mankato and many grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. He was preceded in death by, parents; son, Richard; sisters, Vera Larson and her husband Orville, Jeanette Rusten; brothers, Arvid Vee and his wife Janice; brothers-in-law, Arnold Ellanson and Pete Odegard; son-in-law David Barnhart; nieces, Judy Murilla and Cindy Rathman; nephew Kurt Odegard. Visitation 9:30 am - 10:30 am Wednesday, June 26, 2013 Linden Lutheran Church-Madelia 12937 St. Hwy 15 Hanska, Minnesota, United States 56041 Service Information 10:30 am Wednesday, June 26, 2013 Linden Lutheran Church-Madelia 12937 St. Hwy 15 Hanska, Minnesota, United States 56041 Interment Information Linden Lutheran Cemetery Linden Twp, Rural Hanska Hanska, Minnesota, United States 56041