Virgil Olerich

Virgil Ray Olerich was born on February 27, 1920 to William and Bertha Woodyard Olerich in Carroll County, Iowa. Virgil grew up on the farm southwest of Auburn and attended country school through the eighth grade. He then helped with the family farming operation until his marriage. He and Ethel Peters were married at the Peters farm east of Lake View on June 25, 1940. Virgil and Ethel enjoyed farming for the next 20 years. As a sideline, Virgil and Art Wagner operated a lunch wagon business at farm sales during the winter months. He held fond memories of the time spent serving the food and visiting the farmers on those days. Virgil and Ethel retired from farming and moved into Lake View in 1961 where both were employed. Virgil worked many jobs around Lake View throughout his life, but in his heart he was always a farmer first.

Virgil was an avid fisherman. He spent countless hours at the lake and also enjoyed fishing trips with his cousins in the Okoboji Lakes Region. The Olerichs always had a freezer full of fish and shared hundreds of meals of freshly caught game with family and friends. Virgil and Ethel also loved to dance to the Big Band sound and over the years they were able to swing with the best of them. Visiting with Ethel’s relatives in Tennessee also brought Virgil great pleasure. He loved to visit with people and never knew a stranger. In retirement, Virgil continued to enjoy fishing and made daily trips to the farm north of Lake View to check out the farming operation and help his renter in any way he could.

Ethel preceded him in death in May of 1997. A year later Virgil sold his home and moved into an apartment. For a number of years he became a dancing companion of Leila Smith of Early until her death in 2011. Recently he was a resident of Black Hawk Life Care Center in Lake View. Virgil was a member of the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Lake View. Along with his daughters, he was baptized at the church on April 14, 1946, by Rev. Elizabeth Clarke. Virgil took pride in caring for the church lawn for many years and he was also on the building committee for the new church built in 1986.

Virgil Ray Olerich, age 94, passed away on Friday, April 4, 2014, at Black Hawk Life Care Center in Lake View. Virgil is survived by two daughters and a son-in-law: Janet and Jim Frisbie of Lake View and Beverly Srdar of Las Vegas, NV. Also surviving are his grandchildren: Jay (Trina) Frisbie of Omaha, NE and Jodi (Kevin) Reese of Scott City, KS; great-grandchildren: Haylee, Hannah, and Hunter Frisbie of Omaha; and his sister Wilma Ramsey of Sac City.

Virgil Ray Olerich was born on February 27, 1920 to William and Bertha Woodyard Olerich in Carroll County, Iowa. Virgil grew up on the farm southwest of Auburn and attended country school through the eighth grade. He then helped with the family farming operation until his marriage. He and Ethel Peters were married at the Peters farm east of Lake View on June 25, 1940. Virgil and Ethel enjoyed farming for the next 20 years. As a sideline, Virgil and Art Wagner operated a lunch wagon business at farm sales during the winter months. He held fond memories of the time spent serving the food and visiting the farmers on those days. Virgil and Ethel retired from farming and moved into Lake View in 1961 where both were employed. Virgil worked many jobs around Lake View throughout his life, but in his heart he was always a farmer first.