Orville Merle Nessa was born Sept. 19, 1919 to Thermond ‘Tom' A. and Nina Tannahill Nessa. He died Nov 15, 2007 and is buried in Graceland Cemetery, Webster City, IA.
Sgt. Nessa was a tank commander in Co. B, 634th tank destroyer battalion attached to the 1st division in the Normandy invasion and during the Battle of the Bulge. Orville was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart medals.
His Obituary: Daily Freeman Journal, Webster City, IA - Nov. 19, 2007
Orville M. Nessa, 88, of Webster City, died Thursday, November 15, 2007 at Hamilton Hospital. A Celebration of Life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at the First Congregational - U.C.C., with Rev. Howard Hunt officiating. Private burial will be at a later date. Visitation will be held at the Foster Funeral and Cremation Center on Sunday evening from 3-6 p.m.
Orville Merle Nessa, son of T. A. and Nina Tannahill Nessa, was born on September 19, 1919 near Garden City Iowa to Thormod and Nina Nessa. In 1937 he graduated from Fernald High School. Orville joined the United States Army in 1941 and served his country for 4-1/2 years. He was a tank commander in Company B, 634th tank destroyer battalion attached to the 1st division in the Normandy invasion and during the Battle of the Bulge. Orville was awarded the Silver Star and the Purple Heart medals.
On August 24, 1947 he was united in marriage to Helen Jeanette Smith at the Grace United Church at Story City, Iowa. The couple farmed in the Story City, Blairsburg and Webster City areas. While farming at Blairsburg and Webster City, Orville also operated a mink ranch. He was chairman of the Story County Swine Producers, was active on numerous church boards and was a member of the Northeast Hamilton Community School Board. Orville was a 4-H leader of the Blairsburg Rustling Rascals for many years and was an honorary 4-H leader.
He was also a member of the Disabled American Veterans, American Legion Post 191 and the First Congregational United Church of Christ.
Orville is survived by his wife, Helen; son and daughter-in-law Greg and Shar Nessa of Carroll; daughters and sons-in-law, James and Gretchen McGlynn of Webster City, Jim and Cheryl Sutherland of Clive, and Mark and Denise Miller of Mountville, PA; grandchildren, Kris Nessa of Kansas City, MO, Kent Nessa of Iowa City, Jason Nessa of Minneapolis, MN, Wade and Marcy Nelson of Gilbert, Travis and Tresa Stearns of Marion, Ryan Sutherland of Chicago, IL, Megan Sutherland of Iowa City, Tony and Tasha Miller of Lancaster, PA, Eric Miller and fiancee Jen Dorman of Marietta, PA; great-grandchildren, Riley and Isabella Nelson, Addison Stearns, and Skylin, Westin, and Logen Miller; brother, Milford Nessa of McCallsburg.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Milo and Tommy Nessa; and an infant daughter, Gayle Marie.
Sources: ancestry.com and WWII Memorial Honoree
