Orpha Stancel, 98, Williston, formerly of Drake, passed away on June 9th in Williston, N.D.  Funeral Services will be at 1:00 PM, Saturday, June 12, 2021 at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Drake, ND.  Burial will be in the Drake City Cemetery.  Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the church.  Arrangements by Nelson Funeral Home, Drake, ND.

Orpha was born in rural Kief, N.D. on July 2, 1922, to Edward and Margaret (Schlickenmeyer) Schmidt. The family moved to Drake, N.D. when she was 5 years old and resided there through the depression years until 1939 when they moved to Williston. Orpha graduated from Williston High School in 1940. Following graduation, she moved back to Drake where she worked as a telephone operator. She met her future husband, George Stancel, at a dance that year. With the onset of WW II she moved to Detroit in 1942 to work in a defense plant making machined airplane parts and in 1944 she moved to Seattle to work for the Railway Express Agency. After the war she returned to Williston and worked at Heddrick's clothing store until her marriage to George in 1948. They lived in several towns during his employment with the Soo Line Railroad, finally moving back to Drake in 1958 where they lived until 2013. Orpha was a member of the Trinity Lutheran Church of Drake, was active in its women's organization, Sunday school, and the church council. She also served on the Drake Park Board and was a long-time member of the American Legion and VFW auxiliaries. Orpha was a wonderful wife, a devoted mother and a loyal friend. She had a wry sense of humor and was warm and welcoming to all.

Her survivors include her sons Steven of West Linn, OR, and Robert of Williston, four grandsons Christopher, Bradley, Jeremy, and Michael, a granddaughter Jessica and nine great grandchildren.

Memorials are preferred to the Drake City Cemetery or the donor's choice.

She was preceded in death by her husband George, her sisters Violet and Delores, and her brother Lyle.