Beloved husband and father SFC Orville D. Clarida of Springfield, MO died April 11, 2015 at age 91. Orville was born at home near Irwin, Barton Co, Mo July 1, 1923, the son of Milo and Minnie (Greer) Clarida.

Orville attended Fort Scott High School, where he lettered in football. He entered the Marine Corps during the fall of 1941 and served through WWII with the 2nd Marine Division. He was a paratrooper with 14 jumps and survived 3 beach landings at the battles for Guadalcanal, Tarawa and Saipan, during which he turned 21.

After the war, he entered the Army Signal Corps and was stationed in Europe, serving in Germany and France. He played 1st base for the Army semi-pro baseball team and became Station Chief at the NATO telecommunications installation near Fontainebleau, France, where he met a beautiful Frenchwoman, Paulette, who became the love of his life. They married and returned to the USA in 1956, where he eventually became Wire Chief at Fort Bliss in El Paso, TX until his retirement from the service in 1964.

Orville was a wonderful, loving father and husband. The family lived for a short time in Dell City, TX and Fort Scott, KS before landing in Independence and Warrensburg, MO, where he was a foreman at the Lake City Ammunition Plant from 1964 to 1980. Orville, an electrician by training and a naturally talented craftsman, built their next 3 homes- the first one in Warrensburg and two more in Deepwater, Mo where he and Paulette retired in 1981. An expert marksman, he enjoyed hunting and fishing and especially enjoyed helping his neighbors and friends with repairs and projects around the community. In 2008, Orville and Paulette moved to The Montclair in Springfield, Mo, where they made more friends and celebrated their final years together.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Paulette, and 3 children: Joanne Shrout (David), Independence, Mo, Patrick Clarida (Denise) Holden, Mo and Catherine Moore (Alan) Springfield, Mo, and 8 grandchildren: Beth McDow, Overland Park, KS, Joshua Shrout (Adell) and Jon Shrout, Independence, Mo, Jacob Moore, Ozark, Mo, Karyn Barnes (William), Springfield, Mo, Jamie Schuman (Jesse), Raymore, Mo, Jeremy Calhoun and Justin Clarida, Holden, Mo and 8 greatgrandchildren. The 10th of 11 children, 9 of which survived to adulthood, Orville is survived by his younger sister, Georgia Baluka of Vancouver, WA and many nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents and 3 brothers (2 who did not survive infancy) and 6 sisters.

Visitation will be Thursday, April 16, from 11:30 to 12:30 pm at St. John's Methodist Church, 3rd & Little St, Fort Scott, KS followed by graveside services at 1:30 pm, at Fort Scott National Cemetery. Pallbearers include Patrick Clarida, Alan Moore, David Shrout, William Barnes, Jon Shrout and Justin Clarida. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Army Emergency Relief Fund (www.aerhq.org/)and may be left in care of the funeral home. Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, Missouri Arrangements have been entrusted to Vansant-Mills Funeral Home of Clinton, Missouri. Fond memories and condolences may be left online at www.vansant-millsfuneralhome.com.