David Ortale
September 13, 2011
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Service Details
David Ortale, 70, passed away Tuesday, September 13, 2011, in Johnston. He was born August 25, 1941, in Des Moines, to Thomas and Anna Ortale.
David graduated from Lincoln High School in 1959, attended Drake University, and received his masters from Iowa State University. He was a high school educator and football coach at Lincoln High School for 35 years. David was a member of the Cyclone Corvette Club and The Sons of Italy, and was a lifelong Notre Dame fan. He especially loved spending time with his grandchildren and traveling.
David is survived by his four children, Ted (Lori) Ortale, Tim Ortale and Tony Ortale, Susan (James) Elwell; grandchildren, Jacob and Zachary Ortale, Gabriella and Anthony Ortale, and Paul, Theodore and Ada Elwell; and a brother, Gregory Ortale of Houston, TX. He was preceded in death by his wife, Bernice; and his parents.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m., Saturday, September 17, 2011, at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, with burial to follow at Glendale Cemetery. Family will greet friends from 5 to 7 p.m., Friday, September 16, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Autism Society of Iowa in loving memory of David.
Online condolences may be made to:
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
David and Ann Ashby
09/20/2011
So sorry to learn of your Dad's passing. We have a lot of memories from your days in Gilbert. We just happened to run into your dad 2 or 3 years ago @ a park in Arizona. He and Dave went rock hunting and we had dinner together and talked about a number of events and memories. Our deepest sympathy to all of you. We would love to see each of you but we will be in Michigan.
Howard Newell
09/19/2011
I was saddened to learn of Davids passing. David was my sophomore high school football coach at Lincoln back in the 70s and he made quite the impression on me as a student athlete. He touched a lot of lives over the years and I know he will be missed.
Susan Peterson Harrington
09/17/2011
I was so sad to see that David had died. He had told my Mom he would visit her in Storm Lake last year but then indicated to her that he had some health problems. She was going to take him around town to point out where Tom and Annie's grocery store had been and where they had lived. My Mom is getting pretty frail herself and so I will call her Sunday with this news. How she has loved the Ortale family since she was a girl - and being there when David entered into the Ortale family. My thoughts are with all of you. Susan
Brandon Pierce
09/17/2011
Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. Mr Ortale was my homeroom advisor and psychology teacher. A good teacher and a great man.
Richard and Marcy Miller
09/17/2011
We are thinking of you today and sending our sympathy to you in the loss of you dad. We always enjoyed the time we spent with Dave in LasVegas. He used to like to come over to Ted and Lori's house when we were there as he knew I (Marcy) was in the kitchen cooking!!! We know he will be sadly missed by each of you. I know you each have wonderful memories of times spent with him.
Sincerely, Richard and Marcy
Jamie Beyer
09/17/2011
I will remember Coach Ortale at Jefferson High School as being my Coach that mentored me in my Junior and Senior years in Wrestling. We joked around a lot and I thought of him as a second father. I knew he was at Lincoln but did lose track of him until a classmate called me yesterday to inform me of his passing. Coach was a super guy and one that I will always benefit from knowing him.
Catherine Breen-Harris
09/16/2011
all of my heart goes out to you Ted, Tim, Tony, and Susie. Both of your parents were such great spirits. I am sure you all feel them with you everyday. Be thankful for the the time you had with them and that God gave them to you as parents. I am thinking of you and you are in my daily prayers as you cope with your loss. You all come from 'good stock'. They are with you every day!! Take that with you and remember that. Love and hugs to you all . Cathy Breen-Harris xoxo
Karen Augspurger
09/16/2011
Susie: Beth told me of your father's passing and I just want to extend my deepest sympathy to you and your family.
Please know I'm thinking of you.
Karen
Jim Gorsche
09/16/2011
Dear Ortale Family:
Your dad was my footbball and baseball coach at Lincoln my sophomore year. He was a great coach, teacher and mentor. Mostly, he was just a really sweet guy and was fun to be around. I have thought of him often over the years. I am very sorry for your loss.
Respectfully, Jim Gorsche
Jim Veenstra
09/16/2011
I was fortunate to be a part of Mr. Ortale's varsity wrestling and junior varsity football teams while he was at Jefferson. He could take a bunch of misfits and mold them into a confident team that could compete with all comers. Win or lose, you could count on one of his bear-hugs and an encouraging word. He was a great role model and I have used many of his "lessons" in my journey through life. My heart felt condolences to his family; he was a very special person.
jim heger
09/16/2011
Greg & Mitzi,
So sorry to read about your brother, Greg. The tribute that you posted
is an eloquent statement of the brotherhood that you each shared.
You couldn't have been luckier.
Jim
Cheryl & Ron Schiller
09/16/2011
Dave's family,
We will miss Dave. He was an insperation to many with his strong values and sense of humor.
We enjoyed many good times with Dave at Corvette Club events.
May he now rest in peace with no more pain or suffering.
With deepest sympathy for your loss.
Ron & Cheryl Schiller
Tim Donovan
09/16/2011
I am saddened by the news of David Ortale's passing. Mr. Ortale was the first coach in a fledgeling wrestling program in the mid-1960's in Jefferson, Iowa. I remember him fondly as a coach and teacher. Please accept my condolences to his children and grandchildren. I'll bet he was a great Grandpa.
Jon Tiffany
09/16/2011
I'm so sorry to read that Dave has passed away. He taught me in high school in Jefferson Iowa in the 1967 to 1969 time period, give or take a year. He was also my wrestling coach though I was not as competent at wrestling as I was in his history class. Those were the very first years of wrestling in Jefferson so Dave had a LOT of building to do, taking a bunch of farmers and turning them into classy wrestlers, but we did win a few meets along the way. I didn't know he was a Lincoln graduate. It must have hurt his pride greatly when Des Moines Dowling pounded us 60-0 on the wrestling mat on one occassion that first year. (Sixty points was the maximum number of points that could be scored in a meet at that time. Zero speaks for itself.)
I did enjoy the time I spent in his classes. I remember his wit and smile as he made important points about the history of the world or the United States. (I don't remember which one.)
I extend my sincere condolences to everyone in Dave's family.
Jon V Tiffany
Nancy Heger
09/15/2011
Greg and Mitzi,
Even though you knew this was coming, I'm so sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you this weekend as you bury your brother.
Sincerely,
Nancy