Mr. Ronald Orbeck, 87, of Murray, passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at Anna Mae Owen Residential Hospice House.
Ronald Keith Orbeck, devoted husband of 60 years to Vicki Orbeck, father of Mike, Eric, and Katie, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 29th, 2023. He was born on November 7th, 1935 in Selby, South Dakota to parents Adelsten and Lorraine Orbeck, where he learned the values of faith, family, and hard work that would stay with him the rest of his life.
Soon after his birth, his family, which included older brothers Lynn and Danny, moved to Fresno, California, where he grew up around many aunts, uncles, and cousins he would always remain close with. Though reared in the city, he dreamed of becoming a farmer, taking his first step down that path by raising mail order chickens in his backyard and selling and delivering the eggs throughout the neighborhood. After serving in the Marines, mostly stationed in Korea, he returned home and graduated from Fresno State College. Soon after, he began working at Britz Ag Fertilizers Company, opening and managing its plant in Hanford, California for decades, finally retiring at the age of 70.
In 1975 he was able to realize his dream when he bought thirty acres of farmland outside Hanford, built a house, and moved his family there the next year. He added a small pasture with goats, sheep, and chickens, and though he worked at his job five and a half days a week, with the help of a John Deere tractor and the occasional less-than-enthusiastic assistance of his kids, he farmed the rest of the land growing crops mostly of cotton, but also wheat, alfalfa, and corn. After retiring and moving to Murray, Kentucky, he considered himself blessed to find a home in town where from the back porch he could look out at the farm behind the house and kindle some feeling of his old Central California home.
While his faith was a central part of his life from an early age when he received awards for perfect Sunday School attendance, he said he sometimes felt God’s presence in nature even more than in church. An avid reader of Field and Stream as a boy, he grew to love fishing and camping, especially fly fishing the Kings River at Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park, one of his favorite places to be throughout his life.
A devoted family man, he made a point to try to attend any baseball and basketball game his sons had or gymnastics and cheerleading event of his daughter’s, and enjoyed sharing his love of fishing and camping with them any chance he could get. In his later years he enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren, though it was never enough. He lived his life with honor and pride, and will be greatly missed.
A family graveside service will be held at Murray City Cemetery on Friday, March 31, 2023.
Please join family and friends in honoring the life of Mr. Ronald Keith Orbeck by visiting www.imesfh.com and posting your tributes and memories.