Orville Wandersee

Orville Carl Wandersee, age 91, died on July 10, 2012, at St. John Lutheran Home in Springfield. Services will be at 11:00 a.m. on July 20, 2012, at St. John Lutheran Church in Springfield, with burial in the Springfield Cemetery. Visitation is July 19, 2012, from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Sturm Funeral Home. Orville is survived by three daughters, Cindy and husband Brad Jenson of Brier, WA; Becky and husband Steve Mark of Springfield, MN; and Jenny of Minneapolis, MN; as well as grandchildren Peter and Mark Jenson, and Stefan and Eva Mark; sisters Merle Benson of Richfield, MN, and Janet (Tony) Magliaro of Las Vegas, NV; brother-in-law, Dick Toskey of Minnetonka, MN; brother-in-law Rev. Albert (Gerda) Hock of Strawberry Point, IA; sister-in-law Vera (Rev. Richard) Schwarz of Elwood, NE; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn, in 2010; sisters Marjorie and Eileen; brothers-in-law, Lester Kamholz, Enfrid Benson, and Fred Hock; and sisters-in-law, Martha Hock and Fern Hock. Orville was born August 30, 1920, in downtown Springfield, upstairs in a house next to the blacksmith shop where his father worked (where Duebers is now). His parents, Ludwig (Louie) and Julia (Gekeler) Wandersee, built a house on south Burns where they raised their son and four daughters, tended three large gardens, raised chickens, and kept bees. Growing up in Springfield, Orville swam and fished in the river and gravel pit, watched steam engine trains go by from his front steps, and attended Sunday night band concerts in Brown's Park. He enjoyed building small projects in the blacksmith and wagon shop when his dad was working there. Orville had a life-long love of music, which began with playing the button accordion by ear at age 4 or 5. Orville attended Springfield Public Schools and graduated high school in 1939. After working for Von Fischer Bros. for two years, Orville enrolled in an aircraft drafting class with United Aircraft Corp. in Wichita, KS, and upon graduation was employed as a draftsman with Curtis-Wright Corp. in Columbus, OH. In 1943 he entered the army and was stationed in the Philippine Islands and Japan. He was discharged from the service at Camp McCoy, WI, in 1946. After the war Orville worked for Lowell Zschunke as a paper hanger and painter. In 1949 he enrolled in the jewelry-watchmaking-engraving course at Bradley University in Peoria, IL. He was employed as a watchmaker-jeweler for three years in Minneapolis, where he met his future bride, Evelyn Hock, at a dance at the "Y." They married on May 23, 1954, in St. Paul, MN. In 1955 Orville and Evelyn moved to Morgan, where he founded his first jewelry store and they started a family. In 1961 the store moved to Springfield. After 34 years in business, Wandersee Jewelry was sold to new ownership. Orville was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, where he served as financial secretary and usher. He was a member of John Watson Post No. 257 of the American Legion. He enjoyed his family, and in later years, daily trips to the coffee shop and volunteering at St. John's Home where he read the Springfield Advance-Press to residents and led discussions with the men's group. Orville's daughters, his extended family, and many friends, will miss his gentle ways, sense of humor, and comforting presence. Orville and Evelyn are together once again. Memorials preferred to St. John Lutheran Home, 201 S. County Road 5, Springfield, MN 56087-2102. First Visitation 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm Thursday, July 19, 2012 Sturm Funeral Home, Springfield 407 N. Jackson Springfield, Minnesota, United States 56087 Second Visitation 10:00 am - 11:00 am Friday, July 20, 2012 St. John Lutheran Church, Springfield 224 N. Mary Springfield, Minnesota, United States 56087 Service Information 11:00 am Friday, July 20, 2012 St. John Lutheran Church, Springfield 224 N. Mary Springfield, Minnesota, United States 56087 Interment Information Springfield City Cemetery Co. Rd. 24 Springfield, Minnesota, United States 56087