Edwin "Ed" Ortgies

Edwin "Ed" Ortgies, 83, of Atlantic, Iowa, died Friday, February 9, 2024, at Atlantic Specialty Care.

Edwin Duane was born on August 28, 1940, in Atlantic, Iowa, the son of John Anton and Roseann Irene (Kearney) Ortgies.  Ed was baptized and confirmed at the First Lutheran Church, south of Wiota.  His love of constructing things out of wood began at an early age.  A favorite memory of his (not so much of his mom as it scared her to death!) were the cars he and his friends built and rode down the hill in front of the house.  As a teenager he enjoyed tinkering on his black car in which he put decals on with its name, “Alley-Oop.”  He graduated from Cumberland High School in the Class of 1959.

In September of 1961, he entered basic training for the United States Army in Leavenworth, Kansas.  Ed was stationed in Munich, Germany as a supply truck driver and was honorably discharged in September of 1964.  His time behind the wheel while in the service led to a career as an over the road truck driver.  In retirement he drove bus for the Cumberland-Massena Schools and mowed for Atlantic Parks and Recreation.  

He was united in marriage to Donna Lee Perrin on March 18, 1965, at the Brooks Methodist Church in Brooks, Iowa.  The couple enjoyed time together traveling, sometimes with their camper in tow.  Some of these trips were just the two of them but at times nieces and nephews would go along.  Their outings around Iowa often included stops at Freedom Rocks.  Ed and Donna didn’t limit themselves to the Midwest, the whole United States was their playground and most often they stopped for historical sites or neighborhoods and touring mansions.  When they took off on day trips, most of the time there wasn’t a specific destination in mind, they just meandered wherever the road led.

Ed’s favorite things to build in his wood shop were old cars, wagons, barn quilts and display cases for his collections of arrowheads and coins.  He was an avid doodler, a notepad and pen never far from reach.  Genealogy was Ed’s passion; he even had his grandparents ship manifest from when they came to the United States.  He spent countless hours researching and visiting old gravesites.  

Ed looked forward to his nieces and nephews coming to take him to lunch and other family gatherings, but a certain amount of time was enough for him, as when he was done, he was done!  He had a good sense of humor and maybe a hint of stubbornness.

Ed is survived by his sister, Mary (Rol) Platte of Omaha, NE; brother, Tim (Kim) Ortgies of Atlantic, IA; nieces and nephews; and extended family and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, John and Roseann Ortgies; wife, Donna Ortgies; and brothers, Eldon Ortgies and Jimmy Lee Ortgies in infancy.

Open visitation, with no family present, will be held from 12:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, February 14th at Roland Funeral Home.  

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m., Thursday, February 15th at Roland Funeral Home.  Burial, with military honors by the Atlantic Color Guard, will be in the Atlantic Cemetery following a time of refreshments and fellowship at the funeral home.  

Roland Funeral Service is caring for Ed's family and his arrangements.  Condolences may be left at www.rolandfuneralservice.com.