Orville Lines

Orville Lines, 94, of Creston, died at home, surrounded by his family, Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2023. Funeral services will be 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 28, at Pearson Family Funeral Service & Cremation Center in Creston with Rev. Mary O’Riley officiating. Open visitation will be 2-6 p.m., with family receiving friends from 5-6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 27 at the funeral home. Orville will be laid to rest in the Bohemian National Cemetery in Prescott with Military Honors by the Williamson American Legion and the U.S. Army National Guard.

Memorial contributions may be directed to the Bohemian National Cemetery or the Williamson American Legion. Memories and condolences can be shared online at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.com.

Orville was born Jan. 18, 1929, to Clyde and Grace (Miller) Lines during a blizzard in rural Hebron in Adair County. Neighbors scooped snow so the doctor could get to the farm for Orville’s arrival. The Lines family relocated to Idaho for two years while Orville and his sister Shirley were young children. When Orville contracted polio in second grade, his family returned to southwest Iowa and settled in Creston so he could be close to medical care and he began attending Irving Elementary School.

His parents built the Lines’ Skating Rink on Sumner Avenue in 1945 and Orville worked there while in high school. Orville played football, basketball and ran track at Creston High School, graduating with the class of 1946. He attended Southwestern Community College, then worked as a carpenter building fixtures for JCPenney stores, including the one in Creston, Waterloo and Indianapolis.

Orville served in the 31st infantry regiment, 7th division, arriving for service in Korea, first by banana boat from Japan, then by train in cattle cars. His company was hit hard, and though he was trained as a rifleman, Orville was assigned to dig up mines until he answered a notice on a bulletin board to serve as a cook in the mess hall for 250 soldiers. During his service he was promoted to Sergeant and transferred to the officer’s mess hall as a cook and baker.

Upon returning to Creston, he put his carpentry and cooking skills to work, building and then operating Orv’s Drive-in for more than a decade. After selling the restaurant, he was hired by the U.S. Postal Service and was Postmaster at the Afton Post Office until his retirement.

For over twenty years Orville was Scout Master of Boy Scout Troop 129, taking scouts to New Mexico and the Canadian boundary waters. He was active in the community, serving on the city council and Lions Club. After the death of his in-laws, Orville spent countless hours maintaining the family farm in Adams County. He was a skilled woodworker who carved intricate pieces of furniture.

Orville and Doris enjoyed traveling to visit family, sitting in their sun porch and supper club with lifelong friends. He participated in an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. with hundreds of other Iowa Korean War Veterans.

He is survived by his wife of seventy years, Doris (Rice) Lines of Creston; three children: Gretchen (Jeff) Brotherton of Greer, South Carolina, Tom (LeAnn) Lines of Ankeny and John (Elissa) Lines of Honolulu, Hawaii; six grandchildren: Beth Brotherton of Greenville, South Carolina, Caitlyn (Joe) Ferin and Cali Lines, both of Ankeny, Naomi Lines of Buffalo, New York, Sam Lines of Denver, Colorado, and Jack Lines of Chicago, Illinois; eight great-grandchildren; two nieces and a nephew. Orville will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Orville was preceded in death by his parents; his sister, Shirley Ward and her husband, Sam.