Orville Frank was born in Forest Township in St. Croix County, Wisconsin, on March 26, 1909, the son of William and Lulu Frank. As was the custom of each son's birth, William planted a pine tree on their Forest homestead for his youngest child. Those trees still stand today. Orville was baptized and confirmed at the Forest United Methodist Church and graduated from New Richmond High School. In high school, he loved playing football and carried the scars to prove it. After taking teacher's training, Orville spent the decade of the 1930's happily teaching, first at Lowland School in Stanton and later at Sunny Slope School near Glenwood City. During the summers, Orville sold playground equipment, even selling it to Landing Hill School where his future wife Agnes was teaching. That equipment, too, still stands today.
It was Christmas Eve in 1930, in this church,(United Methodist Church, Deer Park) when he met Agnes after the Christmas Eve service. Following the service, he offered to give her a ride home; this loving relationship lasted 65 years. On September 1, 1940, at the Williamson home in Deer Park, Orville was united in marriage to Agnes Williamson. To this union, two daughters were born. The four of them lived happily in Deer Park with Agnes's parents, George and Ellen Williamson, until their passing.
In 1940, Orville bought the Fairway Cash Store and moved to Deer Park. Orville and Agnes operated the store for 34 years, until the spring of 1974, when they retired. A generous, honest, and kind man, Orville tried to serve all his customers' needs, and the general store served as a social center for the citizens and surrounding farming community of Deer Park. Anyone growing up in the Deer Park area in those days remembers Free Shows and going to the store on Saturday night. Orville especially loved children, and there were always candy treats and ice cream cones for those that stopped by the store. The store sold everything for a family's needs, and there wasn't anything Orville wouldn't try to fix, even to the point of making parts himself if they were unavailable. Later, in retirement, his garage was the same way. His family teased him, "There's the right way to do things, the wrong way to do things, and Orville's way to do things." But he got the job done.
Orville had many other interests besides the store. He always remained a "teacher" at heart, whether it be with his children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren, or the young people he befriended. He loved tinkering, gardening (a love he shared with his sister, Alice), feeding the birds and squirrels, hunting, and fishing, especially trout fishing. He took many Canadian fishing trips. He enjoyed the days of trout fishing with his brothers and later his sons-in-law and Jeannie, and the solitude of fishing alone. He loved the days of deer hunting with his brothers and Forest friends at their tent camp in Winter, Wisconsin. Later, he and his Deer Park friends set up a deer camp in Dairyland. He had several hunting trips with his Frank nephews and friends out West. He took his family on memorable vacation trips -- Canada, the West, the British Isles. He revelled in the times he spent at the Dairyland cabin as well as the summer days with his family at the Lake Magnor cottage.
Orville was a member of North Star Masonic Lodge #187 in Star Prairie, served for many years as Sexton of the Calvary Cemetery, and was active in his church, serving on the council and participating in other church activities. This church and the Forest church were an important part of his life.
In the spring of 1995, Orville spent three months at Woven Hearts in New Richmond. In July, Orville and Agnes sold their beloved Deer Park home and moved to Pondhurst in Amery. On Sunday, October 22, 1995, Orville died at the Golden Age Manor in Amery, at the age of 86 years. He said, "I've had a wonderful life."
He was preceded in death by is parents, William and Lulu, six brothers, William, Ronald, Elmer, Nathaniel, Lester, and Ralph, and one sister, Alice Ailts. Left to celebrate his life are his wife, Agnes of Amery, his two daughters, Lona Jean, Mrs. Bruce DeLong of Waterloo, Iowa, and Margaret, Mrs. Daniel Lien of Amery, his two grandsons, Andrew and Peter Lien, along with many other relatives and friends.
Funeral services were held on Wednesday, October 25, 1995, at 2:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Deer Park with Rev. Jay Gitchell officiating. Soloist was Marlys Knopp accompanied by Jane Johnson. Casketbearers were Bruce DeLong, Dan Lien, Andrew Lien, Peter Lien, George Sinclear and Merlin Frank. Interment was at the Calvary Cemetery in Deer Park with the Williamson Funeral Home of Amery in charge of arrangements.
(Amery Free Press - Tuesday, October 31, 1995)
