Orval Bernard Roecker
February 2, 1930 — February 1, 2013
Orval Bernard Roecker was born on February 2, 1930 to Vincent and Margaret (Stolz) Roecker in Greeley, Kansas. When he was one year old, the family moved to the Defiance, Iowa, area. Orv attended school in Harlan and graduated with the Class of 1947.
On June 20, 1950, he was united in marriage to Lee Neiens at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic, Iowa. There were four sons born to them: Greg, Todd, Marc, and Scott. Orv started his career in the automotive industry that same year with Booth Motor Company. He also worked at McFayden Ford and Pauley Ford Center before purchasing Rocker Ford in 1967. He owned and operated the local Ford-Lincoln-Mercy car dealership for thirty-two years.
In 1993, he sold his dealership and tried his hand at retirement. A year later, he started working at Knapp Realty in Harlan and spent almost twenty years selling real estate.
Orv started singing as a teenager and sang at his first wedding when he was sixteen years old. He was a major part of St. Michael�s music ministry, a member of the Goldenaires, and performed at numerous funerals and weddings. He was a Faithful Navigator of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, former three-term mayor of Harlan, Chamber of Commerce President, President of the Iowa Auto Dealers Association, a member of Western Iowa Arts and active in the productions of South Pacific and Oklahoma, a Boy Scout supporter, a long-time member of the Kiwanis, and was awarded Citizen of the Year.
Orv died on Friday, February 1, 2013, just one day before his eighty-third birthday. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Mary Lou and Donna and an infant brother Vernon.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-two years Lee Roecker of Harlan, Iowa; sons: Greg Roecker and Denise Reinig of Harlan, Todd Roecker and his wife Jolene of Atlantic, Iowa, Marc Roecker and his wife Kim of Lebanon, Missouri, and Scott Roecker and his wife Kathleen of Redondo Beach, California; eleven grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; his sister Verla and her husband Ron Randall of Harlan; other family members and many friends.
Rev. John Frost celebrated the 11:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at St. Michael�s Catholic Church in Harlan, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were Ron Randall, Bob Neiens, George Johnson, Dick O�Bryan, Leo Goeser, George Petsche, Terry Knapp, Verle Doonan, Peggy Rasmussen, Fred Olson, Rocky Barnett, and Vince Jauron. Serving as casket bearers were Zack Roecker, Josh Roecker, Seth Roecker, Chris Roecker, Nick Roecker, and Hannah Roecker. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery.
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On June 20, 1950, he was united in marriage to Lee Neiens at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic, Iowa. There were four sons born to them: Greg, Todd, Marc, and Scott. Orv started his career in the automotive industry that same year with Booth Motor Company. He also worked at McFayden Ford and Pauley Ford Center before purchasing Rocker Ford in 1967. He owned and operated the local Ford-Lincoln-Mercy car dealership for thirty-two years.
In 1993, he sold his dealership and tried his hand at retirement. A year later, he started working at Knapp Realty in Harlan and spent almost twenty years selling real estate.
Orv started singing as a teenager and sang at his first wedding when he was sixteen years old. He was a major part of St. Michael�s music ministry, a member of the Goldenaires, and performed at numerous funerals and weddings. He was a Faithful Navigator of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, former three-term mayor of Harlan, Chamber of Commerce President, President of the Iowa Auto Dealers Association, a member of Western Iowa Arts and active in the productions of South Pacific and Oklahoma, a Boy Scout supporter, a long-time member of the Kiwanis, and was awarded Citizen of the Year.
Orv died on Friday, February 1, 2013, just one day before his eighty-third birthday. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters Mary Lou and Donna and an infant brother Vernon.
He is survived by his wife of sixty-two years Lee Roecker of Harlan, Iowa; sons: Greg Roecker and Denise Reinig of Harlan, Todd Roecker and his wife Jolene of Atlantic, Iowa, Marc Roecker and his wife Kim of Lebanon, Missouri, and Scott Roecker and his wife Kathleen of Redondo Beach, California; eleven grandchildren; thirteen great-grandchildren; his sister Verla and her husband Ron Randall of Harlan; other family members and many friends.
Rev. John Frost celebrated the 11:00 AM Mass of Christian Burial on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 at St. Michael�s Catholic Church in Harlan, Iowa. Honorary casket bearers were Ron Randall, Bob Neiens, George Johnson, Dick O�Bryan, Leo Goeser, George Petsche, Terry Knapp, Verle Doonan, Peggy Rasmussen, Fred Olson, Rocky Barnett, and Vince Jauron. Serving as casket bearers were Zack Roecker, Josh Roecker, Seth Roecker, Chris Roecker, Nick Roecker, and Hannah Roecker. Interment was held at the Harlan Cemetery.
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