Obituary of Orville P. Heister

Orville P. Heister, 92, of Manheim, PA, formerly of Mount Joy and Mifflin County, went home to be with his Lord on Thursday morning, February 1, 2024, at Pleasant View Retirement Community.  Born in Bratton Twp., Mifflin County, he was the son of the late Clair and Eunice Anderson Heister.  He was the husband of Evelyn M. Byer Heister for 67 years on June 22.

While living in Lancaster County, Orville was a member of Cross Roads Brethren in Christ Church in Mount Joy.  He was a former member of Cedar Grove Brethren in Christ Church in Mifflintown where he served as a Sunday school teacher and sang in the choir.

Orville and Evelyn met when they were attending Messiah College in Grantham. Orville earned a teaching degree from Messiah College and a Master's degree in educational administration from Temple University. He was a 6^th grade teacher in the Penn Manor School District.  He later was the principal of two elementary schools in the Penn Manor district.  After he retired from Penn Manor, he and Evelyn returned to Mattawana, bought a small farm, and raised registered angus cattle.  He also became principal and superintendent at Belleville Mennonite School.  Orville and Evelyn eventually moved back to Lancaster County and settled in Mount Joy so that they would be closer to family.

Orville was an avid reader and collector of books.  He also enjoyed hunting, collecting John Deere model tractors and other memorabilia, and was a member of the National Angus Association. Orville was Vice President of the PA Farm Bureau and participated in teaching AG in the classroom for many years. He also spent his time as an Assistant Boy Scout leader in Willow Street. He and his wife, Evelyn, traveled extensively across the U.S. pulling a small pop-up camper as well as a few cross-country train trips.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two children, Linda Tomlinson and Curtis, husband of Barbara Fasnacht Heister, both of Lancaster; three grandchildren, Vanessa Heaps, Camryn Heister, and Logan Heister; three great grandchildren, Dominick, Mia, and Dante; and three siblings, Marlin, husband of Lena Heister, of Mattawana, Ruth Goddard of Middletown, and Anna Fitting of Harrisburg.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday afternoon, February 17^th, 2024, at 12:00 PM at Cross Roads Brethren in Christ Church, 800 Donegal Springs Road, Mount Joy, PA. There will be no public viewing. The family will receive guests at the church on Saturday from 11:00 AM until the time of the service. The family invites all guests to a luncheon at the church immediately following the service. A graveside service will be private and at the convenience of the family in Pleasant View Cemetery, Mattawana, PA. To express a condolence with the family, or for additional information, visit www.SpenceFuneralServices.com.  To view a livestream of the service, visit https://my.gather.app/remember/orville-heister