 Art and Harriet Copple Ortmann |
Art was born May 7, 1917 to Mr. and Mrs. Robert Ortmann who lived one half mile west of Bancroft on Highway #51. Harriet was born November 26, 1920 to Mrs. Hannah Copple and Harry Copple (deceased). She lived on Highway #51 west of the John Munderloh farm. At the age of eleven, she moved to town with her mother. May 1, 1930, a dark funnel roared out the northwest, skirted the town of Bancroft and leveled the buildings where Art lived. He and his family were in the cave. Harriet's family took shelter in her grandfather's basement. The tornado passed to the south of the house. It then took the roof from the barn on the Lawrence Gatzemeyer farm as the whirling mass disappeared into the clouds. Both Harriet and Art graduated from Bancroft Public School. Both liked to play softball and roller skate with friends. The "Great Depression" was still making itself felt but wants and needs were few and simple. Art worked at the Lyons Creamery and Harriet started teaching in a rural school at the age of seventeen. She drove "Penelope", a model T coupe, which first belonged to her sister, June. |
Art and Harriet were married December 25, 1941. Eighteen days earlier the Japanese had attacked Pearl Harbor and the United States was at war. One of the first men drafted from Cuming County, Art was earning $21.00 a month as a soldier.
On September 23, 1943, Art left the West Coast on a troop ship headed for the war in the South Pacific. He was with the Sixth Army in New Guinea and was in active combat 218 consecutive days on Luzon. He helped liberate the captives at Cabanatuan, Philippines, and earned the Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and a Battlefield Commission. He was wounded in the Battle of Munoz in the Philippines.
Meanwhile Harriet taught school, worked in St. Louis and in the bomb plant at Mead, Nebraska.
When the war ended Art's company was on Luzon preparing to invade Japan. After a short tour of duty in Korea, Art arrived back in Bancroft December 1, 1945.
In 1948, Art and Harriet moved to a farm west and north of Bancroft where they reared five children; Robert, Marcia, John, Mary and Lori. Art was a long time member of the Rural Fire Board, served on District 62 School Board, Farmers Co-op Board, and numerous positions for St. Paul Lutheran Church. Harriet taught Sunday School for many years and is a member of the Alter Guild.
In 1990 they sold the farm and retired to a house in Bancroft. Art died June 13, 1998 at his home in Bancroft cared for by his wife and children. He is buried at the Bancroft Cemetery.
By: Harriet Ortmann
Written 1984 for the Heritage of Bancroft centennial book. Additions by Robert Ortmann in 1998.
