Clarence Ollenburger

Clarence Ollenburger, age 92, of Aurora, formerly of Plano, Texas, died Wednesday, February 14, 2007 at Memorial Community Care.

A Memorial Service will be held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, February 17th at the Aurora Evangelical Free Church. Rev. Vance Christie will officiate. Inurnment will be held at the Mennonite Cemetery in Balko, Oklahoma at a later date. Higby-McQuiston Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through the mortuary website at higbymortuary.com.

OBITUARY: CLARENCE OLLENBURGER

We are here today to celebrate the life of our dad, Cal Ollenburger, who was born to Charley C. and Mary (Wichert) Ollenburger on September 11, 1914. His early years were spent growing up on a farm with his three brothers in the Panhandle of Oklahoma, close to Balko. These were the days when horses and buggies were used for transportation and dad loved his favorite horse, Butte. Dad’s family lived through the severe dust storms that destroyed so many farms at that time. The days were difficult, but dad remembered having fun playing sports at school and playing pranks on the teacher with his friends. He always got a good laugh out of that. Early in life he accepted Christ into his heart at a revival meeting, was baptized, and became a part of the Balko Mennonite Brethren Church. This close connection to God’s love for him proved to be an anchor for dad throughout his lifetime.

In 1935, dad married his high school sweetheart, Polly Karber, and they settled on a farm near his boyhood home. It was during this time that Larry was welcomed into the family and brought much joy to the young couple. When Larry was 4 years old, tragedy hit hard when Polly died giving birth to their second child, Janis. This sorrow and responsibility was almost too much to bear. But dad and Larry experienced God’s faithfulness and love, help from family and friends, and the grace to walk through the grief.

Our dad’s brother, Rube, was engaged to Lavina June Ediger from Buhler, Kansas, and they introduced dad to June’s sister, Verna. On Valentine’s Day, 1943, dad and Verna were married. There was real joy in knowing that now they were a complete family with father, mother, and the two children. After some time, dad moved his young family to a farm close to Buhler where he got established in a dairy business. During this time Colleen joined the family. Then several years later he settled into the life of a farmer and custom wheat harvester. This career entailed a lot of hard work, but it was also quite an adventure working from Texas to Montana during the summer months. Those days are special memories that we have together as a family, working as a team and experiencing many of life’s important lessons. In 1963, dad left the Midwest and began a new life with his family in California.

Years later our dad faced yet another difficult trial when he became care giver for his wife, Verna; together facing her battle with cancer until her death. The pain of losing a spouse gripped him once again. A few years later, however, he found companionship with Ruby Penner from Fresno, Ca. which led to their marriage. Dad enjoyed many good years involved in the community and retirement center. While he was in his 80’s he led aerobics in the club house and kept the “older people” moving... He was the only man capable of crawling on a ladder to change light bulbs for the residents and he did this until he was 90 years old! God definitely gave our dad good health for many years for which we are so thankful. Sometime in his 80s we asked him where he wanted to live if he went to a retirement facility and he promptly said that he didn’t want to live there because they were only for old people not for him!

It seemed that care giving was a cross that dad was asked to bear, and for many years he took care of Ruby who suffered from leukemia and then stomach cancer. The battle was fierce and dad stayed faithfully at her side until she passed away after 20 years of marriage.

In the last few years, God provided a precious relationship with Willodene Kliewer and they were married for almost two years. Willy and her family accepted and loved dad so much and he received it all as a gift from God. Willy always told us that she fell in love with his voice over the phone, but I think dad fell in love with her sweet and vibrant spirit.

As many of you know, dad was gifted with a deep, bass voice; and music seemed to run through his blood. He served the Lord throughout his life, starting as a boy to sing with his three brothers at weddings and funerals. He was privileged to direct choir and men’s chorus at Buhler, and then also enjoyed singing in several quartets. In California he toured with a local choir and traveled throughout Europe. He sang in the 16 Singing Men in Fresno and the Mennonite Men’s Chorus. Like his father, he played harmonica to the delight of his children and grandchildren, as well as ministering at various nursing homes. We chuckle to think that even at age 90 he was practicing and singing in the Butler Church choir in Fresno. What a treat for dad! Our dad taught us to enjoy music and he had a way of making it fun. It also was a means of teaching us the truths about God’s love, singing the words to the songs over and over.

Dad was a quiet yet forgiving father. He showed true friendship to so many people and it seemed that he just didn’t have any enemies. We all remember his unique and contagious laughter, and this sense of humor relieved the many difficult trials he was asked to walk through. After all he went through, he was still relating the love of Jesus to all of his family through a testimony that he gave to us at his 90th birthday party.

Later on God asked him to fight the toughest battle of all, his own bout with cancer. The building of his faith throughout his lifetime was witnessed by a doctor in Texas during this time. The doctor remarked to us that dad was truly an inspiration to him and he was amazed at dad’s acceptance of the news of his progressing cancer. We have learned that no matter the circumstances that come to us in life, God will remain faithful. I Peter 1:6 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. “

Dad spent his final days here in Aurora at the long term facility of the hospital. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to the many who lovingly cared for him and those who faithfully came to visit him, pray with him, and sing to him at his bedside. May God richly reward you for your love and support of our family.

He was preceded in death by his parents, wives Polly, Verna, and Ruby, and two brothers, Edwin and Ruben Ollenburger.

Those who remain to cherish his memory are his wife, Willodene, of Plano, Texas; son Larry and his wife Addie of Fresno, California; 2 daughters, Janis Nachtigal and her husband Junior of Aurora, and Colleen Jost and her husband Jim of Tualatin, Oregon; one brother Elden of San Jose, California; 9 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren.