Orval Brenden

Orval Brenden

Orval Brenden, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away at the age of 85, after a lengthy illness, at the Dobson Hospice House in Chandler, Ariz., on Aug. 16, 2010.

His prayer vigil/rosary service will be 7 p.m. Thursday, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel, with his funeral Mass 11 a.m. Friday, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. Burial with full military honors will follow at Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Orval's honor may be made to a charity of one's choice.

He was born in Glasgow, Mont., June 24, 1925. Orval grew up in Nashua, Mont., and attended school there. During his senior year, he worked in the ship yards in California and returned to Nashua only in time to take his finals in the morning and graduate that evening.

His father, Ole Brenden, owned a gas station in Nashua, as well as being the town's blacksmith. Ole brought his blacksmith trade from Norway. After Ole passed away, his blacksmith shop was donated to the H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Memorial Museum in Havre and eventually was moved to the Havre Beneath the Streets display. Orval enjoyed going out to the fairgrounds to see the old shop.

Orval enlisted in the Navy in 1943. After his discharge, he attended Northern Montana College in Havre, and then went on to the University of Montana in Missoula, where he majored in physics and mathematics. He also managed to earn many postgraduate credits through Oregon State, the School of Mines in Golden, Colo., and Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colo.

Following his college graduation, Orval went to work for the United States Bureau of Reclamation at Hungry Horse, Mont. He was employed as an electrical engineer. Later, he was transferred to Pierre, S.D., as an assistant office engineer putting in transmission towers throughout the state.

As a member of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Orval was sent to Look Out Point and Dexter Dams in Oregon. He worked primarily on the power houses in these areas. Upon completion of these projects, he was transferred to the Dalles Dam, which spanned the Columbia River at The Dalles, Ore.

Feeling that it was time to settle, Orval and his family moved back to Havre., where, in 1956, he started teaching at Northern Montana College. He taught engineering technology courses including mathematics, drafting and surveying courses. He was instrumental in putting in a surveying field in the Bear's Paw Mountains, south of Havre. He spent many a summer out there with his students. He loved teaching, and the summer classes gave him the opportunity to work closely with each student.

For 30 years, Orval co-sponsored Delta Alpha Theta, a service organization. Being sponsor of DAT required him to take tickets at the basketball and football games. He spent many games standing outside in the wind and the snow, but to him it was sad to see football leave Northern. He was very proud to work with such dedicated students. Orval retired from teaching in 1987.

He spent his free time with his family. During the summer, the Brenden family would head for the hills. They loved pulling their trailer to Glacier National Park and spending time at their cabin in Beaver Creek Park. Much of their time was spent going to tournaments to watch their children play tennis. He was very proud of their success on the tennis field and in life.

In 1998, Orval and his wife, Cathy, moved to Sun Lakes, Ariz., where they could enjoy their children and grandchildren.

Orval cared for many things in his life, but his faith and his family always came first. Orval married Cathy Hedges on Aug. 29, 1949, and they would have celebrated a wonderful marriage of 61 years this Sunday.

Orval is survived by his wife, Cathy Brenden of Sun Lakes, Ariz .; his three children, Dan Brenden (Hughette Smith) of Phoenix, Ariz., Dave Brenden (Kelleen) of Tempe, Ariz., Carol Brenden Kern (Phillip) of Phoenix, Ariz .; and his four grandchildren, Cristen Hays (Ryan) of La Jolla, Calif., Lauren Kern of Houston, Texas, Timothy Brenden of Tempe, Ariz., and Ryan Kern of Phoenix, Ariz.

Orval Brenden, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away at the age of 85, after a lengthy illness, at the Dobson Hospice House in Chandler, Ariz., on Aug. 16, 2010.

His prayer vigil/rosary service will be 7 p.m. Thursday, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel, with his funeral Mass 11 a.m. Friday, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church. Burial with full military honors will follow at Highland Cemetery. Memorial contributions in Orval's honor may be made to a charity of one's choice.

He was born in Glasgow, Mont., June 24, 1925. Orval grew up in Nashua, Mont., and attended school there. During his senior year, he worked in the ship yards in California and returned to Nashua only in time to take his finals in the morning and graduate that evening.

His father, Ole Brenden, owned a gas station in Nashua, as well as being the town's blacksmith. Ole brought his blacksmith trade from Norway. After Ole passed away, his blacksmith shop was donated to the H. Earl and Margaret Turner Clack Memorial Museum in Havre and eventually was moved to the Havre Beneath the Streets display. Orval enjoyed going out to the fairgrounds to see the old shop.

Orval enlisted in the Navy in 1943. After his discharge, he attended Northern Montana College in Havre, and then went on to the University of Montana in Missoula, where he majored in physics and mathematics. He also managed to earn many postgraduate credits through Oregon State, the School of Mines in Golden, Colo., and Colorado State University at Fort Collins, Colo.

Following his college graduation, Orval went to work for the United States Bureau of Reclamation at Hungry Horse, Mont. He was employed as an electrical engineer. Later, he was transferred to Pierre, S.D., as an assistant office engineer putting in transmission towers throughout the state.

As a member of the U.S. Corps of Engineers, Orval was sent to Look Out Point and Dexter Dams in Oregon. He worked primarily on the power houses in these areas. Upon completion of these projects, he was transferred to the Dalles Dam, which spanned the Columbia River at The Dalles, Ore.

Feeling that it was time to settle, Orval and his family moved back to Havre., where, in 1956, he started teaching at Northern Montana College. He taught engineering technology courses including mathematics, drafting and surveying courses. He was instrumental in putting in a surveying field in the Bear's Paw Mountains, south of Havre. He spent many a summer out there with his students. He loved teaching, and the summer classes gave him the opportunity to work closely with each student.

For 30 years, Orval co-sponsored Delta Alpha Theta, a service organization. Being sponsor of DAT required him to take tickets at the basketball and football games. He spent many games standing outside in the wind and the snow, but to him it was sad to see football leave Northern. He was very proud to work with such dedicated students. Orval retired from teaching in 1987.

He spent his free time with his family. During the summer, the Brenden family would head for the hills. They loved pulling their trailer to Glacier National Park and spending time at their cabin in Beaver Creek Park. Much of their time was spent going to tournaments to watch their children play tennis. He was very proud of their success on the tennis field and in life.

In 1998, Orval and his wife, Cathy, moved to Sun Lakes, Ariz., where they could enjoy their children and grandchildren.

Orval cared for many things in his life, but his faith and his family always came first. Orval married Cathy Hedges on Aug. 29, 1949, and they would have celebrated a wonderful marriage of 61 years this Sunday.

Orval is survived by his wife, Cathy Brenden of Sun Lakes, Ariz .; his three children, Dan Brenden (Hughette Smith) of Phoenix, Ariz., Dave Brenden (Kelleen) of Tempe, Ariz., Carol Brenden Kern (Phillip) of Phoenix, Ariz .; and his four grandchildren, Cristen Hays (Ryan) of La Jolla, Calif., Lauren Kern of Houston, Texas, Timothy Brenden of Tempe, Ariz., and Ryan Kern of Phoenix, Ariz.