Funeral arrangements for Searle R. “Dick” Orris, 89, of Jefferson, will be 2:00 pm Friday at First United Methodist Church in Jefferson, with interment in the Jefferson Cemetery. Friends may call at Slininger-Rossow Funeral Home in Jefferson after 4:00pm Thursday. There will be a Masonic Service at 6:30pm Thursday, followed by visitation with the family until 9:00pm.

Searle Richard “Dick” Orris, was born to M. Blanche and David Cretsinger, on January 12, 1918 in Coon Rapids, Iowa. David entered the Army in World War I and did not return. Blanche later married Albert Orris and Searle took the Orris name.

The family moved to a farm near Bayard, Iowa, in 1927 where Searle graduated as valedictorian from Bayard Consolidated High School in 1935. Soon after, he attended Capital City Commercial College in Des Moines, then worked for L.H. Kurtz Company, a wholesale hardware company.

Searle, more commonly known as Dick, enlisted in the United State Army in September, 1941. He took basic training in horse cavalry then transferred to the Army Air Corps. There he served as a bombardier on the B-24 “flying fortress” planes and eventually was an instructor with Top Secret Norand bombsights from training grounds in Tonopah, Nevada. He was honorably discharged on October 16, 1947, as a First Lieutenant.

Following the war, Dick worked for Paxton-Gallagher as a wholesale hardware salesman with a large Iowa territory. He eventually landed in Coon Rapids, Iowa at Weddle Hardware as a partner.

Dick married Margaret Marie Johnson on November 7, 1948. In 1950, they moved to Jefferson, becoming part owners in Joens Hardware. Later, with Jim Parr, he bought out Emil Joens Hardware in 1955. Together they operated Dick & Jim’s Hardware on the northeast side of the courthouse square in Jefferson for 25 years. Dick’s son, Don, bought an interest in the store in 1977. Dick “semi-retired”, in 1980, but continued to maintain a regular work schedule.

Two years later, Dick and Margaret moved to Lake Panorama while Dick continued working three days a week at the hardware store in Jefferson. Moving back to Jefferson, in 1994, Dick fully retired from Don’s Ace Hardware on May 22, 2006 after 56 years of dedicated service to his community.

Dick was a Past President of the Jefferson Chamber of Commerce; Past Master, Secretary, and 50-year member of Morning Star Lodge #159; District Lecturer of Masonic Ritual; Past President of Jefferson Rotary Club. He was Past Commander and 60-year member of the American Legion Floyd W. Brown Post #11, where he provided many years of oversight for the Avenue of Flags; Dick served in various offices and was a member of the Jefferson First United Methodist Church.

Dick Orris died May 21, 2007 at the Greene County Medical Center. He was 89 years of age. He was preceded in death by his parents, Blanche and Albert; sister, Lulu and brother, Wayne.

Survivors include his wife, Margaret, of Jefferson; three sons: Linn and wife Sara, of Prior Lake, MN; Don and wife Bonnie, of Jefferson; Jerry and wife Janet of Overland Park, KS; one daughter, Gail Reiter and husband Curt of Omaha, NE; a sister, Beth Lee, of Coon Rapids and eleven grandchildren: Kyle, Rachel, Matthew, Kelly, Julie, John and Jim Orris; Joe and Brian Reiter; and Luke and Brittany Atwood.

Memorials are suggested to the Floyd W. Brown American Legion Avenue of Flags.