Orville H Karloski Obituary (1917 - 2012)

Orville H. Karloski, 95, of Decatur, IL died at 10:25 a.m. Sunday (Sept. 16, 2012), just 29 days after Elsie, his wife of 69 years, died. He was a resident of Haven House (Memory Care) at Hickory Point Christian Village. A service to celebrate Orville's life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday (Sept. 22, 2012) at St. John's Lutheran Church. Visitation will be from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Friday (Sept. 21, 2012) at Dawson & Wikoff West Wood Street Funeral Home. Burial will be in St. John's Lutheran Cemetery. Mr. Karloski was born on January 10, 1917 in Decatur, IL, the son of William (Will) and Elizabeth (Lizzie) Karloski. When he was young, he tended bar at The Wooden Shoe, a popular restaurant/night spot in Decatur that stayed open and served breakfast all night long. The St. Nicholas Hotel tried to lure him away by offering him more money but he was hesitant to take the job because of his loyalty to The Wooden Shoe where he got his first job. However, his boss persuaded him to take the job. He also tended bar for a short time in Las Vegas, NV. After returning to Decatur, he was a baker, working nights, for Taystee Bakery for many years. When Taystee closed, he went to work at Caterpillar. He retired from there in 1982. Orville loved music and one of his hobbies was playing the guitar. He was an avid bowler and bowled in leagues for many years, along with his older brother, George. However, his favorite pastime was his cars. He traded every few years, and always kept his cars in spotless condition. Orville and Elsie had lived in the same house since 1949 and he kept the house and yard looking like a picture in a magazine. Orville loved to eat. Elsie always thought it wasn't fair that, no matter how much he ate, he kept the slim figure he had as a young man. He was a very neat dresser. He wore work clothes for factory and yard work, but always cleaned up and put on nice slacks and a dress shirt, even if he was just going to sit around the house the rest of the day. He had a soft spot in his heart for his nieces; they could talk him into presents, hamburgers, dollar bills, and shopping trips. Orville married Elsie H. Opalka on February 6, 1943. Throughout the years they were inseparable. Some of their nieces and nephews had one name for them. They called them "Elsieorville." They loved to travel. They traveled throughout the United States, including Hawaii, and twice to Germany where they visited Gelsenkirchen, the place where Elsie was born. They loved to dance. When they went roller skating, they even danced on their skates. They took ballroom dance lessons and often danced at the Trianon and the Aragon Ballrooms in Chicago and the Rialto Ballroom in St. Louis, MO. Orville liked to show his dancing skills with some of his moves, but Elsie was not always sure if she liked his maneuvers when he dipped her to the floor. Lawrence Welk was one of their favorite TV shows. The night before he died, his niece turned on Lawrence Welk so he could hear him one more time. He adored his Elsie and his heart was broken when she died. He said, "She's all I've got. I want to go be with her." Then, two days after she died, he got completely dressed, including a jacket, and was sitting in the dining room at Haven House waiting for his niece. When she arrived, he told her Elsie had called him and wanted him to come home and that's where he was going. Several days later, he went to Elsie's funeral and did very well. When he saw her he said, "She's in Heaven with God." When he got back to Haven House after the funeral, he changed completely. He could no longer walk or even sit up in a chair. That evening, he almost died. They put him in bed and he never got out of bed again. He was too weak to even open his eyes, but he would open his mouth for a piece of watermelon or a piece of banana. One day when he was so weak, he was asked if he wanted a bite of watermelon or banana. He didn't answer, so he was asked a second time. His answer was, "I'm debating." Then later, he told us how many bites of watermelon he had eaten. But, not once did he open his eyes. He had a very dry sense of humor; even when Alzheimer's affected his memory, he could still surprise you with a "zinger." On Friday night before he died, one of his nieces played some Big Band music. Although he was asleep, we were sure he heard Benny Goodman and Tommy Dorsey and decided it was time to find Elsie for another dance. He is survived by his nieces and nephews: Judith A. Morville of Decatur, IL; Steve (Jean) Karloski of Rockford, MI; Sharon (John) Martin of Houston, TX; Darlene (Ron) Gordy of Lafayette, IN; Carol Sue (Dean) Riley of Monticello, IL; Gloria (Ed) Schalk of Decatur, IL; Roger (Helen) Klaska of Decatur, IL; Nancy M. Peterson of Decatur, IL; Michael (Connie) Opalka of Port Charlotte, FL; Ric Opalka of Fullerton, CA; Tim Opalka of Springfield, IL; Robin (Doug) Watkins of Carmi, IL; Matthew Opalka of Springfield, IL; and many grand nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Elsie; his parents; brothers, George Karloski and Elvin Klaska; and sisters, Dorothy Roe and Marjorie Schimanski. The family wishes to extend its heartfelt thanks to Robin and the wonderful caregivers at Haven House, Hickory Point Christian Village, all of whom went above and beyond their duty. And, a special thanks to Cheryl, the nurse, who called him "Dad." One day he had said, "I'mcontinued... 1 2 Next