Nov. 11, 2023
John Wesley Orvis Jr., 89, of Hutchinson passed away Nov. 11 at Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson. Memorial service is at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 22, at Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Hutchinson with interment in Oakland Cemetery in Hutchinson. Memorials preferred to the Heart of Minnesota Animal Shelter in Hutchinson. Clergy officiating: the Rev. Randy Koppen. Pianist: Dianne Wanzek. Soloist: the Rev. Randy Koppen; "Just a Closer Walk With Thee". Congregational hymns: "Joy to the World" and "Go Now in Peace".
John Wesley Orvis, Jr. was born on Sept. 17, 1934, in Nimrod, Wadena County. He was the son of John "Jack" and Lillie (Simms) Orvis. During his youth, John lived on a farm north of Motley. He attended rural schools in Cass County and was a graduate of the Motley High School Class of 1951. John earned his Bachelor and Master degrees from St. Cloud State College and did post graduate work at the University of Minnesota and various State Universities.
On Nov. 23, 1957, John was united in marriage to Jane Ruth Mills in Hutchinson. This marriage was blessed with three children, Julie, John III, and James. John and Jane resided in Hutchinson, St. Cloud, Sauk Centre, Sauk Rapids, then back to St. Cloud. In 1969, they moved back to the Hutchinson area, living 16 years near Cedar Lake. In 1985, they moved into the city of Hutchinson. They shared 65 years of marriage.
John taught science and worked as librarian/media director in various schools. (Minnesota State School-Department of Corrections at Sauk Center, Sauk Rapids Public School, St. Cloud State University, Hutchinson Public Schools) Before his career in education, he was a dairy herd improvement tester in Wright and McLeod counties.
John loved traveling with his wife, Jane, and camping in their van. When the children were younger, they took many family camping trips. For a number of years, he performed in a musical comedy act called the "Hayseeds" with his friend Larry and also as "Rags" the clown with his harmonica playing Buddy Melroy. John loved dogs and over the years cherished his terrier "Towser", setter "Kelsey", maltese "Sadie", and shi-poo, "Charlie". He did taxidermy work as a hobby for about thirty years and had a taxidermy club for his seventh and eighth grade students while he taught science. Later, John enjoyed woodcarving, starting with hand carving and the graduating to chainsaw sculpturing. It was his nature to be a homebody and spent much of his spare time building and fixing around their home or one of his children's homes. He especially enjoyed spending time with his family, grandchildren and friends.
John was an original thinker and enjoyed discussions over a cup of coffee. Non-fiction books, news magazines, and the daily paper were a big part of his life. He enjoyed good movies and never forgot some major fiction books like "The Grapes of Wrath" and "The Great Gatsby". John didn't enjoy socializing in crowds or large groups and was reluctant to accept fads and new ideas. He thought sports were vastly overdone and was often upset about the direction politics and government was going. John thought himself as a person of modest means but one that didn't complain about paying taxes. It puzzled him why people who loved their country and had the money wouldn't want to invest in their country paying additional taxes. He believed religion should be a very personal thing, that it should be separate from all our governmental actions and that it was totally insane that fighting and killing (and wars) happened because of differences in beliefs.
John passed away on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023, at Harmony River Living Center in Hutchinson, at the age of 89 years.
Blessed be his memory.
John is survived by his wife, Jane Orvis of Hutchinson; children, Julie Jergens and her husband, Robert of Hutchinson, John Orvis III of Hutchinson, James Orvis and his wife, Traci of Cross Lake; grandchildren, Stephen Jergens, Rachel Jergens, Maya Orvis; many other relatives and friends.
John is preceded in death by his parents, John and Lillie Orvis, Sr.; sister, Rena Underhill.
Arrangements by Dobratz-Hantge Funeral Chapel in Hutchinson. Online obituaries and guest book available at www.hantge.com
