Oraleen Elizabeth Urban

Oraleen Urban passed away on December 18, 2024 at the age of 95. She was born the daughter of Ora John and Mary Elizabeth (Larsen) Merritt on June 30, 1929 at her grandparent's home in Caldwell, Kansas and grew up in rural Grant County, Oklahoma. Oraleen was a 1947 graduate of Caldwell High School and went on to graduate from Northern Oklahoma Junior College. She married Ervin Urban on June 6, 1950 at the Caldwell Methodist Church and after their marriage, they lived in the rural Caldwell and Corbin areas where Ervin began farming and Oraleen taught school in Corbin. In 1954, they moved to the Wellington area after living in Trieste, Italy while Ervin served in the United States Army. This is when she developed her love of being a farm wife alongside Ervin.

Family, music and being involved in church were important to Oraleen. She liked planning, cooking for, and hosing family gatherings and always looked forward to the next one. Oraleen enjoyed playing the piano and accordion and was a member of the Bellaires, the Wellington First United Methodist Church Handbell Choir, since 1980. She volunteered as a pianist at a local nursing home starting in 1994. Over the years, she volunteered in many ways at her church including serving on the Library, Building, Sanctuary, and Fellowship committees, and continued playing handbells with Grace United Methodist Church in Winfield until her death. She loved to research and write about family and church history. She was especially interested in the symbolism of the stained-glass windows, crosses, and religious symbols in the church. She wrote a paper on the subject called, Symbols, Learn the Language, as therapy after her husband died. She was a member of United Methodist Women where she served as a District Officer for 4 years and a Conference officer for 9 years. She was also a member of Ruth circle and the Searchers Sunday School class.

Oraleen is preceded in death by her husband, Ervin; grandson, Jeremy Urban; parents, Ora and Mary Merritt; brother, Roy Merritt; sister-in-law, Wynell Merritt.

Survivors include her sons, David (Shelly) Urban, Mark (Gail) Urban; daughter, Pam (Rich) Granger; grandchildren, McKenzie (Charlie) Wagner, Chelsea Urban, Mitch Urban, Katie Urban, Tyson (Cayce) Hibbs, Erin Hibbs and Kayley (Grant) White; brothers, Bob Merritt, Max (Lynn) Merritt; sister, Ruth (George) Sanford; sister-in-law, Marilyn Merritt.

Visitation at 9:00 am followed by Funeral service for Oraleen will begin at 10:00 am on December 21, 2024, at the Wellington Methodist Church. Interment will follow at Sumner Memorial Gardens, Wellington, Kansas.

Memorial contributions can be given in her name and loving memory to the Wellington Methodist Church P.O. Box 189, Wellington, KS 67152 to support the library and the Bellaires or to the Grace United Methodist Church, 320 College St, Winfield, Kansas 67156 to purchase new bell music.