William LeRoy Orten was born February 27, 1925 to George and Eva (Weekly) Orten in Grainfield, Kansas. His father was a day laborer, farmer, a master machinist, and a mechanic. Eva was a seamstress, domestic, quilter and a homemaker. He passed away Thursday, June 21, 2012 in the Gove County Medical Center Long Term Care at Quinter.


He was the youngest of six children, Merle, Henry, Wilfred, Vera and Florence being the others.

All his siblings, Merle Orten, Henry Orten, and Wilfred Orten, Vera Orten Roberts and Florence Orten Smith, and his parents, George and Eva Orten, preceded him in death. However, Vera, Florence and William had the opportunity to be together at the LTCF "under one roof" for several years. He is survived by nieces and nephews.


William attended elementary and high school until his senior year in Grainfield. He never carried a book home. One time he went to the state spelling contest. He was valedictorian of Gove County nine-month schools, and Eloise McKnight was the valedictorian for the eight-month schools.


Then his family moved to Quinter where he lived for his senior year, graduating with the Class of 1942. He remembers many incidents from school and his time under the teaching of Ethyl Jamison and other teachers, his days in the school plays and the times of helping at the grocery store. He liked all of his class subjects the same.


After graduation he attended Brown Mackie for awhile in Salina before he went to the military. He was inducted into the Army of the United States of America, December 1943. He entered the active military service at the reception center, Fort Logan (near Denver), Colorado.


In January 1946, he was discharged as Sergeant to enlist in the Regular Army as Sergeant. He was at the District Headquarters in Oklahoma, then was District Sergeant Major. He entered Officer Candidate School Class #5 at Fort Riley, KS.


From there he was assigned to Headquarters Company United States Army, Military District of Washington, stationed at South Post, Fort Myer, VA, for duty in Staff Communications Office, The Pentagon. He was appointed Sergeant First Class October 18, 1948.


He later re-enlisted in the Regular Army for an unspecified time. He was sent to Austria in April. He was appointed Master Sergeant.

On November 25, 1953, he married Gertrud Maria Franziska Josefine Jirak Mitter, first in a civil ceremony and then in a church wedding ceremony. Trude was a licensed nurse.


For a brief time they were at Fort McClellan, AL. Then his assignment took him to Wertheim, Germany.

In 1957 he re-enlisted and was re-assigned to Frankfurt, Germany, for duty with the Corps Engineer Section as the Chief Engineer NCO.

In 1959, they left there for an assignment to Fort Hood, TX and he was successful in gaining assignment to the U.S. Army Instructor Unit with duty assignment as a Light Infantry Weapons Instructor in the Military Science Department.


He again re-enlisted in the Regular Army as Master Sergeant, E&U. He departed there March 31, 1964 for an assignment with U.S. Forces in Korea.

He was appointed Master Sergeant, E-8. He was later assigned to Personnel Sergeant, Personnel Service Center #3, located at Camp McGovern in 1964.


In 1968, following nearly 25 years in the U.S. Army, William Orten retired from active military service as Sergeant Major, with his last duty position as Senior Enlisted Assistant to the Inspector General, Headquarters, Fifth U.S. Army.


His citations included "performed the duties…in an outstanding manner. Possessing the highest level of professional competence, leadership and supervisory ability…absolute degree of administrative correctness…exemplary soldier, position of respect and confidence…highest integrity and moral rectitude…meticulous nature…accomplishments in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Army and reflect great credit upon himself and the military service…."

In July 1974 he began employment at the Kansas State School for the Deaf as the Business Manager. His last duty position title was Institutional Business Administrator.


In April 1987, they visited Salzburg, Austria for most of a year and then made it their residence in 1988. They loved to attend educational events and operas.


Over a period of nearly ten years, he worked on a complete and accurate listing of the American military ground forces which had participated in the liberation and subsequent occupation of Austria (May 1945-Oct. 1955). He also wrote the book WHO WAS MARCH WAYNE ORR? Orr was the person after whom a detention camp had been named.


On December 20, 1998, his dearly beloved wife, Gertrud Maria Orten, born in Vienna, November 21, 1923, died in Salzburg.


Following her death, he made the choice to remain in Salzburg. However, after a serious illness in 2006, in January 2007 he joined family members who encouraged him to come to Quinter. He was instrumental in having his wife's, her mother's and their friend's remains buried in the Baker Township Cemetery at Quinter beside the graves of his parents, George and Eva Orten. He was a member of the United Methodist Church of Quinter.


His inurnment will be beside the loved ones mentioned above and his parents' graves at 9:00 A.M., June 30, 2012.

A Graveside Memorial Service was held Saturday, June 30, 2012 in Baker Township Cemetery at Quinter, KS with Pastor Keith Funk officiating.


Memorials are suggested to the Grainfield Opera House, United Methodist Church, Gove County Historical Association, or the GCMC Long Term Care and can be sent in care of Schmitt Funeral Home, 901 S Main, Quinter, KS 67752.