Oralee Volwiler

Oralee Volwiler was born August 31, 1943 to Rev. Paul and Beverly Johnson in Lincoln, NE. She died on September 18, 2024.

As a daughter of a Methodist Minister, Oralee attended various elementary and high schools in Nebraska. She started attending Nebraska Wesleyan University when the Johnson family moved to Plainview, NE. It was at a church event she met Dennis L. Volwiler.

Oralee married Dennis L. Volwiler on March 24, 1963. They lived on the home place southeast of Plainview and moved to their new home a mile down the road in 1977.

Oralee enjoyed life on a farm where she helped Dennis furrow pigs, raise cattle, and grow various crops. She had an affinity for plants and grew several roses, peonies and gladiolas. She enjoyed her vegetable and fruit garden, which provided many years of freshly canned vegetables, fruits and jellies. Oralee loved baking everything from bread and cinnamon rolls to pies and other deserts. Pecan pie was her favorite pie, and she always made a few for the United Methodist Bazaar in the fall.

Orlee made sure her daughters, Lora and Denise, grew up with an appreciation for nature, the farm, sewing, and baking. She taught them how to bake as soon as they could play with the dough on their highchair. Sewing was always an adventure with some of the clothing projects the girls did for 4-H.

Oralee was a member of 4-H as a youth, and when her daughters were old enough, she made sure the girls were members as well. She was a 4-H leader for several years. Helping with club projects along with her daughters. Assisting with the Pierce County fair items.

She celebrated special holidays, particularly New Year’s and Fourth of July, with family and friends. Oralee enjoyed attending various concerts and plays all of her life, instilling a value for the arts in her daughters. Oralee’s love of nature and the Christmas season for the past few years was explored by going to the Laurizen Garden Merry & Bright – Holiday Poinsettia Show in Omaha. Again, this was a special treat she shared with Denise.

Oralee spent 27 years working for Casey’s in Plainview where she was helpful to friends and travelers. She retired a few years after Dennis’s death. Her retirement years did not slow down. She traveled to Colorado to spend time with Lora and Math. She travelled frequently to Lincoln, NE attending various Lied Center events with Denise.

In more recent years, Oralee spent her spare time volunteering for various community organizations – Arts Council, Food Truck, Klown Museum, etc.

Oralee is preceded in death by her parents Rev. Paul and Beverly Johnson, husband Dennis L. Volwiler, two children (infant boy and girl), daughter Lora Stein-Volwiler, and sister Sue (Johnson) Hamelin.

She is survived by her daughter Denise Volwiler, son-in-law Math Stein, her three sisters Marie Zimmerman, Sandra Johnson, and Jacque Hamelin, and brother-in-law Joe Hamelin. Along with a few nieces and a nephew. As well as many other relatives and friends.

Memorial Services for Oralee Volwiler will be held at 2:00 PM, October 19, 2024 at the Plainview United Methodist Church. Inurnment will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Plainview.

Flower arrangements are welcome.

Monetary donations can be sent to the Plainview United Methodist Church Memorial Fund, or to Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance (OCRA) – ocrahope.org – in the name of Lora L Volwiler and Oralee Volwiler.