Obituaries : Keith Merlin Ohrt

Keith Merlin Ohrt

VINTON: Keith Merlin Ohrt, 83, died Monday, June 28, 2010 at his residence following a brave battle with cancer.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 AM, Friday, July 2, 2010 at the Presbyterian Church in Vinton with Rev. Ronald Sumption officiating. Interment will be held at Evergreen Cemetery in Vinton with Graveside Military Rites conducted by Geo. G. Luckey American Legion Post #57 of Vinton and Iowa Military Funeral Honors. Friends may call at Phillips Funeral Home Chapel, 212 E. 6th St. in Vinton from 4 to 8 PM on Thursday. A memorial Fund has been established.

Keith was born October 9, 1926 near Vinton to Albert and Mildred (Smith) Ohrt.

From 1945 to 1946 Keith served his nation in the US Army during the occupation of Japan. He was a member of Geo. G. Luckey American Legion Post #57 of Vinton.

On June 27, 1954 he was united in marriage to Stella Mae Baldwin at the Presbyterian Church in Vinton.

Keith owned Keith's Plumbing and sold insurance for American General Life. He then worked in sales with Honnegers. For many years he served as the Sexton at Evergreen Cemetery and was also an over the road trucker at that time. In 2008, at the age of 81, he retired as a truck driver with Hawkeye International Trucking of Cedar Rapids. He was a Third Degree Mason and member of the Vinton Lodge, and the Presbyterian Church in Vinton. His greatest pleasure came from attending grandson David's baseball games and seeing beautiful trees.

He is survived by his wife, Stella Mae of Vinton; his son, Thomas of Cedar Rapids; his daughters, Teresa (Jeffrey) Kline of Cedar Rapids, and Tami (Donald) Bray of Vinton; his grandchildren, Elizabeth Kline of Philadelphia, PA, and Heather, Tiffany, and David Bray, all of Vinton; his brother, Carl (Marilyn) Ohrt of Marion, and Vernon Ohrt of Minneapolis, MN; and his sister, LaVonne Ohrt of Charles City.

His parents, his brother, Russell Ohrt and his sister, Arlene Ohrt. preceded him in death.

Condolences may be left at: www.phillipsfuneralhome.com