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Note: From the book, "Look to the Rock...The Urness/Barsness Episode" by Ann Urness Gesme (Cedar Falls, Iowa), copyright 1988, recorded with the Library of Congress.
The seventh child of Herman and Otelia was born at the Barsness farm in May 1915. According to the family he was born May 3, but the church record shows May 2. He was baptized June 6, and the name is recorded "Orvil Wesley" with Mr. and Mrs. Henry Norslien, Selma Urness and Edwin Barsness were his sponsors. He was confirmed by Rev. S. Gunderson May 25, 1930. January 23, 1936, he was married to Dolores Hefty at the parsonage in Mount Horeb, WI. Orval has been a cheese maker and worked in a dairy plant. He and Dolores live in Black Earth and have 3 children and 5 grandchildren.
OBIT - BLACK EARTH - Orval W. Barsness, age 87 of Black Earth, passed away on Friday, August 23, 2002, at Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital. Orval was born May 3, 1915, to Herman and Otelia (Erickson) Barsness. He lived with his eight siblings on the family farm in Vermont township. In the 1930s he, his brother, Marvin, and his sister, Mildred, along with Marvin Huset, had a neat little band and many of their generation learned to dance to their music. Orval and Dolores (Hefty) Barsness were married on January 23, 1936 in Mount Horeb, Wisconsins. Orval made cheese at Halfway Prairie Creamery for 23-1/2 years. After he left the factory, he worked at Babcock Hall at the UW for 12 years. The couple have three children, Dale (Katie) Barsness, Alan (Gloria) Barsness and Virginia Roberts; five grandchildren, Tim (Diana) Barsness, Todd (Becki) Barsness, Trent (Kathy) Barsness, Jennifer (Richard) Engbrecht and Brenda Barsness; and 11 great grandchildren, Payton, Caleb, Johnathan, Drew, Molly, Micah, Joseph, Josiah, Hudson, Elijah and Emmaline Barsness. He is also survived by Harvey (Gloria), living in Prairie du Sac. He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Albert, Marvin and Ralph; and four sisters, Gladys Topper, Cora Barsness, Ruby Johnson and Mildred Halverson (should be Halvorson). Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, August 26, 2002, at Vermont Lutheran Church. Burial will be at Vermont Lutheran Cemetery. Friends may call from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, August 25, 2002, at Ellestad Black Earth Funeral Home, 1337 Mills Street. Special thanks to Heartland Country Village staff and Sauk Prairie Memorial Hospital for being such wonderful caregivers to Orval. We know a smile we love to see, A voice we love to hear. We know a hand we love to hold, A presence we love near. We know a heart, a loving heart, That's thoughtful, fine and true, We know them all, and love them all, for they belong to you. Darling Dad, and Grandpa, we love you!
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