James Orwig May 30, 1919 – January 9, 2015
Dr. James P. Orwig, 95, entered into the life of perfect service in God’s kingdom on January 9, 2015 at Somerford House in Hagerstown, Maryland.
Born May 30, 1919 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dr. Orwig was the son of the late Preston G. Orwig and Helen Forbes Orwig. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and spent many summers at Camp Miniwanca in Stony Lake, Michigan where he attended both the Younger Boys and Older Boys Camp Conferences for Christian leadership, completing 220 hours of training in leadership development. Dr. Orwig served as a Camp leader and director of the waterfront where he taught canoeing, sailing and swimming.
Dr. Orwig attended Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1941, majoring in Philosophy. He excelled in both track and field and diving, and wrote for the student newspaper. He joined the U.S. Army in September of that year and served until 1945, first as a Clerk, then as a Technical Sergeant. He attended the NCO School and Judo School, then joined the prestigious 10th Mountain Division ski troops and fought in the North Apennines, Italy, during the Po Valley Campaign. He was awarded the Purple Heart, Good Conduct Ribbon, Bronze Star Medal, EAME (European-African-Middle Eastern) Ribbon with two Bronze service battle stars, and Combat Infantry Badge. His Bronze Star for meritorious service was awarded when he assumed command of a weapons platoon for a month in the absence of an officer.
Dr. Orwig married his wife, Katharine (Cook) on June 27, 1943 in the Church of the Dunes on the property of Camp Miniwanca. He was a member of the Episcopal Church.
In 1945, Dr. Orwig began his education on the GI Bill, completing a master’s degree in Philosophy at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, in 1947 and then earning a doctorate in Education from Michigan State College in East Lansing, Michigan in 1953. In 1955, Dr. Orwig was hired as the Dean of Men at Berea College, Berea KY, where he continued to teach Philosophy. In 1963, Dr. Orwig’s family moved into “Treetops,” a unique, butterfly-roofed redwood house that he designed and helped to build. He had wide-ranging interests including designing hand-made block print Christmas cards (one of which illustrates this post), decorating Union Church for Christmas, participating in faculty sports, hiking in the nearby college forests, and continuing to ski until after his 75th year. Following his retirement, Dr. Orwig served as an educational consultant for the American Youth Foundation, and with his wife, Katharine, spent three years overseas with the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia, first in Hong Kong, then in Chiang-Mai, Thailand.
Dr. Orwig was preceded in death by his wife, Katharine, and his daughter, Elizabeth Forbes Orwig. He is survived by his daughter Margaret Craig and her husband William of St. Michael, Minnesota, and his daughter the Rev. Anne O. Weatherholt and her husband the Rev. F. Allan Weatherholt, of Hancock, Maryland. Dr. Orwig is also survived by grandchildren William and Cully Craig, James and Jackie Craig, Daniel and Katie Weatherholt, Stephen Weatherholt, and Laurel (Mylonas-Orwig) and Neil Weijer, as well as four great-grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations for Dr. Orwig may be sent to Union Church, CPO 2105, Berea, Kentucky 40404
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