Fostoria baker was devoted to her family

6/28/2010

FOSTORIA - Oradel D. Orwig, wife of a longtime Fostoria Community Schools educator and administrator, died Friday of congestive heart failure at Friendship Village of Columbus. She was 88.

Mrs. Orwig, who worked 30 years in various office and plant jobs at the former Electric Auto-Lite Co., was an active member of Fostoria Eastern Star Chapter 94 for more than 60 years. She also had been a member of Fostoria Wesleyan Methodist Church for years until moving to the Columbus area in 1998.

Her daughter, Susan Orwig, described her as someone with "a big personality" who was "spunky and a lot of fun."

She said her mother used to bake custom-order cakes and tortes in Fostoria.

At the time, Oradel Orwig was married to the late Raymond C. Orwig, who began teaching in the Fostoria school district in the late 1940s. He later served as an assistant principal before retiring as the district's assistant superintendent in 1981. Mr. Orwig died in 1986.

Mrs. Orwig's son, Raymond P. Orwig, said his mother was a popular fixture in the Fostoria area for years because of his father's association with the school district, her baking business, her job at Auto-Lite, and her volunteer work.

But he and his sister said she will be remembered by them mostly as a loving mother and devoted homemaker.

"She enjoyed life. She had a lot of good times. She loved to entertain and cooked a lot," Raymond P. Orwig said. "She enjoyed being around people. She was a great mother."

Mrs. Orwig, who was born on Sept. 3, 1921 in Brooklyn, N.Y., came from a family that had settled in the Sandusky area during the Depression. Her family later relocated to Bellevue, Ohio.

Mrs. Orwig and her first husband traveled to Japan, China, and across Europe, among other places.

The two were sweethearts at York High School. They married in 1942 after Mr. Orwig was drafted into the Army. He trained troops in Washington during World War II, and his wife worked as an office clerk in the Pentagon.

Oradel Orwig remarried after moving to the Columbus area 12 years ago. Her second husband, Wesley Hale, died about four years ago.

Survivors include her daughter, Susan Orwig, son, Raymond P. Orwig, three grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

A funeral is to begin at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Wesley United Methodist Church, Fostoria, with visitation starting at noon.

The family asks that any donations be made to the Order of Eastern Star, Fostoria Chapter No. 94, or the Alzheimer's disease research department at Ohio State University.

Arrangements are being handled by the Dwayne R. Spence Funeral Home in Pickerington, Ohio, where visitation is to be held from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday.

Contact Tom Henry at:

thenry@theblade.com

or 419-724-6079.