Roy Olinger

ROY OLINGER

Springville

Roy L. Olinger, 91, a res-ident of the Anamosa Care Center, formerly of Springville, entered into eternal rest on May 1, 2014, following an extended illness. Funeral Service: 1:30 p.m. Monday, May 5, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center, Marion, by the Rev. Jon Moss. The family will greet friends from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, May 4, at the funeral home. Burial: Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, with military honors.

Roy is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Anna Mae, whom he met while on a blind date upon his return from military service following World War II; sons, John Olinger and Ron (Nancy) Olinger, both of Springville; grandchildren, Nick Olinger of Marion, Elaine (Mike) Collet of Des Moines, Krysta (Gabe) Dawes of Marion, Kelsey Olinger of Cedar Rapids, Jennifer Tibbetts of Marion and Matthew Clay of Cedar Rapids; great-grand-children, Audrey, Trevor, Miranda and Phoenix; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents; son, Bruce; brother, Glenn; and an infant sister, Frances.

Born in Marion, Iowa, on March 21, 1923, Roy and his family moved in 1933 to their farm in Springville, where he continued to live up until his illness. He was a graduate of Springville High School. Roy loved the land he and his family farmed, and had a passion for woodworking and carpentry. Roy and his brother, Glenn, co-owned G & R Construction.

A man of deep faith, Roy, his sons, and his brother proudly built Prairie Chapel United Methodist Church of which he and his family were members. He spent hours in his workshop handcrafting beautiful furniture and wood creations which he shared with so many of his family and friends.

Roy was a member of American Legion Post 331 of Springville, Hawkeye Chapter American Ex-Prisoners of War and served on the boards of Springville Co-Op Telephone and Brown Township Insurance for many years.

Roy was awarded a Purple Heart following his capture by the German Army during the Battle of the Bulge on New Year's Eve 1944. He spent several months in captivity at a Prisoner of War (POW) camp near Dresden, Germany. For three months before his capture, Roy endured heavy fighting while a member of the L Company, 44th Division, 71st Infantry in the U.S. Army.

In later years, Roy visited school groups to talk with them about his POW experiences and also created an extensive library of books and maps specific to his capture. He wrote a journal of this time in his life that he made into books for his children and grandchildren.

During the fall of 2012, he revisited his war time by participating in an Honor Flight to Washington, D.C., with his son, Ron.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Friends of the Springville Fire Department in Roy's memory.

Please sign the online guest book for Roy at www.murdochfuneral home.com under obituaries.