Orval W. Hahn

Orval W. Hahn, 95, of Evansville, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 surrounded by family. Orval was born January 15, 1925 in Evansville to the late Elmer and Flora Marie (Kleinschmidt) Hahn. He considered himself first and foremost a farmer, and second a fisherman. At one time, he held fishing licenses in four states and Canada. He once went fishing 24 out of 27 days and had many fishing friends willing to occupy a seat in his John boat. Family got to take their turn so he always had a fishing friend or two along. He especially enjoyed taking the young children or his friends or children in the family. He was very proud that he had taught his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren to enjoy fishing. Orval started farming when he was not quite a teenager. He was raised in a German speaking, Union Township farm family. His father, Elmer and Uncle Joe farmed together and started Orval farming when he was very young. One of his first memories of those days was plowing a quarter of an acre of old pasture with a team of mules and a single 12-inch plow. By the end of his farming career, he was plowing with a four-wheel drive Steiger 918 plow for Frank and Dave Cummings on Diamond Island. He always enjoyed farming and embraced the improvements in farming throughout his career. After his retirement, Orval volunteered to help other farmers because he loved it and because he enjoyed the larger and better tractors. Gas money was the only payment he would accept. When better farming practices and equipment came along, he was one of the first to own a row-crop diesel tractor, a 1947 and 1949. Orval was one of the first in the area to own a John Deere plateless max emerge planter and one of the first to shell corn with a combine and dry the corn with a New Holland Batch drier. He also started using fertilizer and chemicals as soon as they became available. One of the first chemicals used was Randox. Fighting Johnson Grass was one of the early battles of farming. Orval was a kind and generous man, sharing with others his talents and the fruits of his hobbies. He grew sweet corn for the entire family and for church dinners and funeral dinners. He made a barrel of wine every year, 52 gallons, and gave it all away. He was a great mechanic and would always share his knowledge with others. Orval was a proud member and the president of the Liars Club. He planted many pin oak trees in the yards of family and friends. Orval loved frying fish. He held large family fish fries, as well as frying fish for many Hadi Shrine functions. He was a good cook and made soup for church Lenten dinners. When snow came in the winter, Orval could be found out with his tractor, plowing snow all day. There would be a list for him when he came home in the evening for the next day. Among the calls would be the Hadi Shrine, Scottish Rite, Leroy’s Tavern and Sacred Heart Church, even St. Paul’s on Michigan Street for Easter Sunday services. Anyone in the neighborhood that saw his tractor would call knowing the only payment he would accept was hot chocolate or coffee. Orval was a Reed Lodge Mason, member of the Scottish Rite and played the bass drum in the Hadi Shrine Drum and Bugle Corp. He paraded at various Imperial or Great Lakes events such as in the Superdome in New Orleans, in Milwaukee and in Ohio. Orval served as an Elder at St. Paul’s UCC and later as a Deacon at Salem Heusler UCC. He rarely missed church, not even to go fishing. He gave sermons to the children at Salem UCC, many to a standing ovation. Orval coached the St. Paul’s UCC baseball team in the Church League and won the league championship. He served on the Union Township Levee and Drainage System, as well as on the board of the Evansville Vanderburgh Levee Authority. He was also a member of the R-Men’s Club at FJ Reitz High School and an avid sports fan. His favorite teams were the Cubs, Purdue, Yankees, U of E, USI and of course, Reitz. He loved children and they loved him. He will be missed. Surviving Orval are his wife of 72 years, Betty (Todd) Hahn; a daughter and son-in-law, Janet and Rodney Leibring, DVM; daughter-in-law, Donna Hahn and sisters, Verna Hudson and Mildred (Jim) Montgomery, all of Evansville. Also surviving Orval are three grandchildren, Ryan (Jill Goedde, DVM) Leibring, Nicole (Dan) Hoffman and Nicholas Hahn, two great grandchildren, Noah and Allison Hoffman and two nieces and their husbands, Janie and Bob Cummings and Judy and Robin Fluty. In addition to his parents, Orval was preceded in death by his son, Randall Keith “Randy” Hahn in 2017. Funeral services for Orval will be held at 10:00 AM on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Salem United Church of Christ Heusler, Pastor Al Schmitz officiating. Private burial will take place in Sunset Memorial Gardens. Friends may visit with the family from 3:00 until 7:00 PM on Friday at Pierre Funeral Home, 2601 W. Franklin Street and from 9:30 AM until service time on Saturday at Salem UCC Heusler, 11325 Lower Mt. Vernon Road, Evansville, IN 47712. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Randall Hahn Wrestling Scholarship at FJ Reitz High School, the Hadi Shrine Crippled Children’s Hospital or to Salem Heusler United Church of Christ. Condolences may be made online at www.pierrefuneralhome.com.

Orval W. Hahn

January 15, 1925 - January 21, 2020