Forrest Van Orman - Back

Obituary

Forrest Van Orman

January 23, 1928 - March 7, 2013

Funeral services for Forrest Van Orman, age 85, of Bismarck and formerly of Trail City will be 11:00 AM, CT, Wednesday March 13, 2013 at Kesling Funeral Chapel. There will be visitation on Tuesday starting at 3:00, with a prayer service at 7:00 PM at Kesling Funeral Home. Burial will be at Trail City Cemetery under the direction of Kesling Funeral Home. Forrest passed away Thursday, March 7, 2013, St. Vincent's Care Center in Bismarck.

Forrest Van Orman was born on January 22, 1928 to Don and Barbara (Allerdings) Van Orman in Glenham, South Dakota. The Van Orman family moved to the Bieber place 1 1/2 miles from Henry Bieber place in the early 1940's. Forrest attended Harding County School were Lyla was in the 3rd grade and Forrest was in the 6th grade. When Forrest finished the 8th grade he enrolled in the McLaughlin High School. Instead of going to classes he went to work at the grain elevator, helping build the new elevator. When Forrest's dad found out, Forrest had to go home.

Along about 1944 when the whole world was at war, he and a friend went to Minneapolis so that his friend could enter the US Army, his friend was turned down but the accepted Forrest. "You're in the Army now and not behind a plow, You'll never get rich diggin a ditch. You're in the Army Now." While in the Army ducks, he became a "duck instructor," and when the war ended in 1945, he proudly drove a duck in the Victory Parade in Washington, DC. After fulfilling his responsibilities in the Army, Forrest returned to South Dakota and worked for Thorstenson's in Selby area. But Forrest's heart was on the Johnson Ranch south of Little Eagle, South Dakota.

On April 17, 1953 he married Lyla Bieber (maybe his childhood sweetheart). They lived on the old Fred Bieber place in a basement house, and 4 years later bought the old Hank Bangle ranch. If they had stayed in the cattle business it would have turned out better but they thought they had a better chance raising sheep. That was a bad investment and they lost many sheep to needle grass and the market stayed too low. Forrest and Lyla had some friends that had moved to Minneapolis who invited them to visit. There were lots of jobs there, so they checked it out and moved to Minneapolis. Forrest worked in the foundry for awhile but didn’t like that so he joined the Carpenters Union. Forrest always had a good job as a carpenter and the pay was pretty good, but the traffic was terrible. They were getting the McLaughlin Messenger and it talked about carpenter jobs available on the reservation. So Forrest went to check it out. Standing Rock Housing development hired him and he never went back to Minneapolis. Forrest then moved the family back to the McLaughlin area. They lived in the McLaughlin area until 1995, and sold their place and moved to Java, South Dakota.

In 2004 Forrest and Lyla moved to Mandan, North Dakota to the Library Square. They lived in a 2 bedroom apartment and in 2012 moved to Bismarck, North Dakota. In May 2012 Forrest moved into St. Vincent's nursing home and Lyla lived downstairs in an apartment at Marillac Manor. In all the years and places they were Forrest always remained a cowboy at heart. That was his favorite occupation.

Forrest is survived by his wife Lyla of Bismarck, ND, by his sons; Karl (Cheryl) Van Orman of Mandan, ND, Miles Van Orman of Waslla, AK, Owen (Cindy) Van Orman of Palmer, AK and Bryan (Toni) Van Orman of Richardton, North Dakota, one daughter Ruth Van Orman of Atlanta, GA. 8 grandchildren. Three brothers; Orlanda Van Orman, Florida, Robert Van Orman, Mobridge and Quentin Van Orman, Hot Springs, SD, one sister Donna Johnson, Mobridge, SD.

Forrest was preceded in death by his parents and son Forrest, sister Pearl.