Orval Stofferahn

     Orval Stofferahn, age 91, of Calmar, IA, died on Wednesday, October 15, 2014, at the Freeport Rehabilitation Center in Freeport, IL.       Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Monday, October 20, 2014, at the Calmar Lutheran Church, 200 North East Street, Calmar, IA, with Rev. Phil Olson presiding. Burial will be in the Calmar Lutheran Cemetery, Calmar, IA.       Friends may call from 2:00-5:00 p.m., on Sunday, October 19, 2014, at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home, French Chapel, 202 South Washington Street, Calmar, IA, and also after 10:00 a.m., at the church on Monday morning.      Orval Earl Stofferahn was born on May 2, 1923, on a farm near Humboldt, South Dakota, the son of August and Alma (Schievelbein) Stofferahn. He was baptized on June 24, 1923, in the American Lutheran Church in Humboldt, SD. On March 1, 1924, the family moved to a farm in Jackson County, near Round Lake, MN. He started school in a one room schoolhouse. On March 1, 1934, the family moved to a farm in Sioux Valley Township. He was confirmed at the Sioux Valley Lutheran Church in May 1938. He went to school in Sioux Valley and helped on the farm. After graduation in June 1943, he enlisted in the US Navy on Jan. 18, 1944 and was stationed in Maui, Hawaii to take care of the Naval Aircraft. After twenty-one months, he was transferred to El Centro, CA, and Guam and then back home to be discharged on Aug. 6, 1946. On Jan. 1, 1946, Orval met a young lady from Lucan, MN, Hulda Zick, after a year of courtship; they were united in marriage to on December 30, 1946, in Lucan, MN. In September 1946, he started working for a body shop in Worthington, MN. In April 1947, he left Worthington to work for a Ford dealer as a painter in Michigan. In August 1950, he started his own body shop in Lake Park, IA. He operated the shop until July 1967, at which time he was employed to teach Auto Body Repair at Area One Vocational School, which is now known as NICC (Northeast Iowa Community College). After nineteen years as an instructor he retired on August 31, 1986. Orval enjoyed fishing and pheasant hunting in younger years, tending to his roses, mums and to his vegetable garden, playing cards and always giving everyone a ‘hard time’. Orval was a member of the Calmar Lutheran Church, the Halverson-Giesen American Legion Post #266, the Calmar Lions and the Calmar Senior Center.    Orval is survived by his two children: Wayne Stofferahn, Des Moines, IA, and Shirlene Stofferahn, Freeport, IL. Four grandchildren: August (Sarah) Stofferahn, San Francisco, CA; Bryan (Claire) Stofferahn, San Francisco, CA; Stephanie (Gerald) Bastyr, Lascassas, TN; and Ashley (Josh) Varner, Holts Summit, MO. Seven great grandchildren: Tyler and Caleb Bastyr, Luca, Noah & Lila Stofferahn, Justina & Claire Varner. One sister: Geneva Thorn, Anaheim, CA. One sister-in-law: Gene Zick, Marshall, MN, along with many nieces and nephews.      Orval was preceded in death by his parents: August and Alma (Schievelbein) Stofferahn. His wife: Hulda Stofferahn on Sept 21, 2005. Two daughters: Carolyn Crider in 1989 and Brenda Stofferahn in 2010.One grandson: Steven Crider, Jr. in 2014. Two brothers: Wallace (Leona) Stofferahn and Arnold (Sally) Stofferahn. One sister: Mardella (Paul) Ling. Brothers and sisters-in-law: Otto (Amanda) Zick, Hilda (Raymond) Grisham, Louise Zick and Hugo Zick