| Notes |
- BIOGRAPHY:
http://www.genealogy.com/users/c/h/r/David-Alan-Christianson/FILE/0004text.txt
ORVILLE KNAPP
Orville Knapp family
Orville Knapp was born at Eureka, South Dakota on October 19, 1924, to Jacob
and Christina (Opp) Knapp. He received his grade school education near there.
He served in Attu in the Aleutian Islands during World War II. He was married
to Wilma Opp on December 1, 1946 at Eureka, South Dakota, following his
honorable discharge from the U. S. Army. In October of 1947 the couple
purchased the Calvin Mehlhaff farm located two and one-half miles south of
Eureka where they actively farmed until it became necessary to discontinue due
to Orville's diabetes, sight loss and eventual total kidney failure. From
April, 1983 he had continual dialysis treatment twice weekly at the V.A.
Hospital, Minneapolis, then three times weekly at St. Luke's Hospital traveling
500 miles weekly to Aberdeen. In October 1983 he had his first kidney
transplant at the V. A. Hospital in Minneapolis which again had to be removed
ten days later due to a blood clot in the kidney. In August of 1983 our new
home was started in Eureka which we moved into on November 11, 1983. In
December of that year our own dialysis unit was installed by the V. A. His
dialyist was Carla Rohrbach until he received his second kidney transplant in
October 1984. Six months later our home dialysis unit was removed from our home
and placed in the local clinic where it is currently being utilized by Julius
Boschee, Zeeland. Our room was then converted into a fourth bedroom in the lower
level. Since then to the present, Orville has had repeated surgeries for
abdominal infection and had cataract surgery and a lens implant done in
January of 1986 with hopes of having the same done in the other eye in April of
1986. Because of illness Orville was forced to retire at age 55 from farming
and employment with Eureka Equity Exchange as a licensed plumber, later working
in the automotive department at the Farm Store. He served on the County ASCS
committee, on the McPherson County Education Board, was active in the American
Legion, a member of the VFW and enjoyed bowling and golfing.
Wilma Opp was born June 3, 1926 at Eureka, South Dakota to John J. and Emelia
(Lapp) Opp. She received her grade school education near there and graduated
from Eureka High School in 1945. She attended Northern Normal in Aberdeen for a
summer session in 1945 and taught rural school for one year before her marriage
and one year following. On March 13, 1961 she began her job at the Northwest
Blade and this year will observe 25 years of continuous employment there as
typesetter, bookkeeper and secretary, having worked under three different
editors, currently Arlo C. Mehlhaff. She is a member of the Farmerettes Club,
American Legion Auxiliary and enjoys yard work, cooking, embroidering and
reading.
Daughter Marcia Kay was born to the couple on March 28, 1948 at Eureka where
she attended grade and high school. For the past 12 years she has been employed
as a nurses aide at the Eureka Lutheran Home and continues to live with her
parents. Her hobbies include embroidering, latchhook craft and bowling.
Daughter Sheila Ann was born October 5, 1953 at Eureka, where she attended
grade school, graduating from Eureka High School in 1971. She attended Northern
State College in Aberdeen for one year and completed her additional four years
at South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota where she received
her pharmacy degree in May 1976. On May 18, 1974 she was united in marriage to
William Fred Hoffman at Eureka Reformed Church. William graduated from South
Dakota State University, Brookings in 1976 with degrees in Chemistry and
Biology, later attended two years of study at Westminster Seminary in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He operated the business known as Hoffman Parts and
Service at Leola until selling out. At present he teaches math courses
part-time at Aberdeen Central High School and also is working towards his
masters degree at Northern State College. They adopted a son, Jared
Christopher, at age six and one-half months in September of 1980 who was born
March 17, 1980. Jared attends kindergarten currently at the Baptist Christian
School in Aberdeen, where the family lives in their mobile home at Lakeside
Estates.
Sheila is employed as a full-time pharmacist at Osco Drug, Aberdeen and
previously had worked in both drug stores in Eureka and surrounding towns
including Aberdeen.
Orville Knapp died May 1, 1986.
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1924 - 1986 (61 years)