Groton: The funeral service for Orval Leland Zoellner, 87, of Groton will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 22, 2012, at First Presbyterian Church, 300 N. Main St. in Groton, with Pastor Terry Kenny officiating.
Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Aberdeen, with military graveside rites being conducted by the Sidney L. Smith American Legion Post No. 24 of Aberdeen.
Schriver's Memorial Mortuary and Crematory, 414 Fifth Ave. N.W. in Aberdeen, is in charge of arrangements.
Visitation at the mortuary will be 5-7 p.m. Friday, with a public prayer service being held at 7 p.m. Visitation continues one hour before the service at the church on Saturday.
Orval passed away Monday, Dec. 17, 2012, at ManorCare Health Services in Aberdeen.
Orval Leland Zoellner was born March 21, 1925, in Groton to Roger and Hazel (Jost) Zoellner. He attended Joan of Arc country school, always riding his pony for transportation, and graduated from Groton High School with the Class of 1943. Following graduation, Orval farmed with his father until 1950, when he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He received his honorable discharge, at which time he returned to Groton to farm with his father.
Orval was united in marriage to Irene Joyce Mullner on Oct. 20, 1951, in Aberdeen. (The only time he ever missed the opening day of pheasant hunting season.) He continued to farm with his father until 1956, when Orval and Irene purchased their own dairy farm, which they ran until his retirement in 1995. The couple was blessed with seven children and shared nearly 55 years of marriage before Irene passed away in April 2006.
Orval was an avid hunter and fisherman and was a member of the Fin and Feather Sportsmen Club of Groton. He was also a huge supporter of 4-H and enjoyed driving around the countryside enjoying nature. Above all, Orval loved his grandchildren. They were the highlight of his life.
Surviving Orval are his children: Vicki (Rodney) Wiley of Groton, Lee (Janet) Zoellner of Beloit, Wis., Neil (Penny) Zoellner of Clinton, Wis., Nila (Ron) Christensen of Webster, Arlin (Cindy) Zoellner of Conde, Joel (Lynn) Zoellner of Groton and Crystal (Allen) Hageman of Gettysburg; one sister, Vivian Sletten of Aberdeen; 16 grandchildren: Melinda (Jonathan) Swatkowski, Elizabeth (Calvin) Kunkle, Michael (Abbie) Zoellner, Scott Zoellner, Jennifer Zoellner, Julia (Jason) Keeler, Ellie Zoellner, Jacob (Holly) Christensen, Linse (Clay) Lundberg, Delci Christensen, Casey Zoellner, Katie Spicer, Hayden Zoellner, Bridget Hageman, Colten Hageman and Alyson Hageman; and five stepgrandchildren: John (Lana) Phillips, Jerry (Kathy) Phillips, Jim (Lynn) Phillips, Dominic Wiley and William Wiley.
Orval was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Irene; brother-in-law, Robert Sletten; son-in-law, Ed Phillips; and daughter-in-law, Sharon E. Zoellner.
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