Virgil Marvin Oye, 81, Luverne, formerly of Hardwick, died Wednesday, Aug. 1, 2001, in Sioux Valley Hospital, Sioux Falls, S.D.
Services were Monday, Aug. 6, in Grace Lutheran Church, Luverne. The Rev. Maurice E. Hagen officiated. Burial was in Maplewood Cemetery, Luverne.
Virgil Oye was born to Carl and Alma (Lorenzen) Oye on Nov. 26, 1919, in Denver Township, Rock County, where he was raised. He attended District 75 country school. Following his education he helped farm on the family farm near Hardwick.
He married Lucille Lauck on Aug. 8, 1941. Following their marriage they lived and farmed near Hardwick. On May 23, 1945, he entered the U.S. Army and was stationed at Ft. Bragg, N.C., and Ft. Benning, Ga., where he served as an instructor at the infantry school. He was honorably discharged with the rank of corporal on Aug. 14, 1946, and returned to Hardwick. He lived and farmed for 50 years on the farm on which he was born. He then did various jobs throughout the area.
In the early 1970s he moved to Westbrook. He married Grace Singsaas. In the mid-1970s he moved to Mankato where he owned and operated a cleaning business. In 1993 he moved to Belle Plaine where he lived until April 2001 when he entered the Mary Jane Brown Good Samaritan Center in Luverne.
Mr. Oye was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. He was a member of the American Legion Post 478 in Hardwick and the American Legion in Mankato. He also served as a director of the Rock County Fair Association. He enjoyed watching the Minnesota Twins, reading the newspaper, traveling and fishing.
Survivors include five children, Donna (Dale) Stoterau, Manley, Virginia (Sherwood) Peters, Jordan, Bruce (Marilyn) Oye, Hardwick, Rita Shirkey, Worthington, and Burdell (Barbara) Oye, Savage; 12 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; special friend, Grace Singsaas; and several nieces and nephews.
Mr. Oye was preceded in death by his parents, an infant daughter, Rea Jo, one son-in-law, Timothy Shirkey, one grandchild, Jason Peters, one great-grandchild, Cole Pulse, one brother, Orville, and one sister, Evelyn Ladd.
Engebretson Funeral Home, Luverne, was in charge of arrangements.