Orville H. Alverson

Orville H. Alverson, 97, of Mason City, passed away Friday, February 14, 2025, at the Good Shepherd Health Center. A funeral service will be held on Friday, February 21, 2025, at 10 a.m., at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 North Pennsylvania with Pastor Nadine Illunga officiating. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service time on Friday. Interment will be held in Elmwood-St. Joseph Cemetery. Military Honors will be conducted by the Mason City Veterans Association.  Memorials may be directed to Welsey United Methodist Church. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com

Orville Hugh Alverson, the only child of Melvin and Mabel (Jackson) Alverson, was born on January 1, 1928. He graduated from Popejoy High School in Franklin County with a class of 10 students in 1945. He grew up on a farm and enjoyed playing with special friends and cousins, having various pets, and helping with farm chores. Orville attended Iowa State University for a short time until he was drafted into the Army Airforce. He attended weather school and was sent to the 15th Weather Squadron in the Manila, Philippines and later transferred to the 20th Far Eastern Army Airforce in Okinawa post WWII. Those meteorology skills were used to forecast weather conditions for bombing runs and he was honorably discharged in October of 1947. Later, he studied under the GI Bill.

Orville married Mary Helen Norris on October 31, 1948, at the Congregational Church in Iowa Falls. He then took over the family farm and initially raised livestock including beef cattle, pigs, and chickens. He later became a grain farmer and expanded the operation. Orville also sold seed corn for Northrup King for 25 years starting in 1963 and was recognized for his sales ability with several trips. In 1996, he retired from farming and in 2004 moved to Mason City.

Orville continued his interest in weather and was a weather watcher and reporter for the National Weather Service in Des Moines for 50 years. In 1997, he was presented with the prestigious Thomas Jefferson Award. He loved his community and served on the Popejoy Methodist Church board for 40 years and was also Master in the Masonic Lodge in Dows and Worth Patron in Eastern Star in Dows.Conservation was also important to Orville, and he served on the Franklin County Conservation Board for 25 years and even had some land west of Popejoy Park named Alverson Acres. In addition, he was elected to the Oakland Township in Franklin County to the Agriculture Stabilization Conservation Service, part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, for 16 years.

Orville and Mary Helen enjoyed their friends from their couple’s 500 card club which they participated in for over 50 years. He was always a huge Chicago Cubs baseball fan and especially enjoyed the private family 4th of July fireworks.

Orville and his loving wife, Mary Helen, were married 72 years and raised two sons: Hugh (Sue) Alverson of Austin, Minnesota, and John (Beth) Alverson of Mason City; and one daughter, Mary Sue Wolvers of Hampton. They have six grandchildren and eight great grandchildren. Mary Helen preceded him in death in July of 2021 and his son-in-law, Robert Wolvers, preceded him in September of 2019.

This kind and considerate man was respected by his family, loved by his community and was a great neighbor.

Arrangements are with Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, 111 N. Pennsylvania Avenue, Mason City, Iowa 50401, 641-423-0924, www.majorericksonfuneralhome.com.