Orrin James Torkelson was born in Redfield, South Dakota on August 20, 1941 to Melvin and Wilma (Wells) Torkelson. He grew up in Doland and graduated from high school in 1959. Orrin learned a lot from his dad helping him on weekends and summers. The built house and furniture, did plumbing, wiring, dug graves, fixed water mains and built boats.

Orrin attended Macalester College in St. Paul for 2 years and then transferred to SD School of Mines to complete his bachelor’s degree in engineering. He taught high school math and science for 10 years. At this point he decided to return to school at SDSU to complete a masters degree in engineering along with a grad assistant position.

In the fall of 1976, while attending school at SDSU, he met Eileen. They were married on April 9, 1977, in Brookings. He graduated that May and was hired to a full time teaching position in the mechanical engineering department where he taught for the next year. He was hired at 3M in Brookings, where he held several engineering positions over the next few years. Shortly after his marriage, he convinced his wife Eileen that she would have a lot of fun helping him and his dad finish a wooden sailboat he was building. Up to this point Eileen had been quite the land lover and had not real desire to go onto the water. After a few years he decided to build a fiber glass sailboat. So it was back to his Dad’s shop to build another boat.

Besides boat building he taught Eileen archery, target shooting, photography with a 35mm camera, and cross-country skiing. He also enjoyed gardening, playing piano, harpsichord and listening to classical music. He had always dreamed of sailing someplace like Chesapeake Bay. So, when a position opened at 3M plant in South Jersey, he jumped at the chance. In November of 1984, they drove out of Brookings and on to West Deptford, New Jersey.

In 1991 they were blessed with the birth of their daughter. In 1996 they moved back to South Dakota to be closer to Katrina’s grandmother in Wall. He built a shop, where he spent a lot of time on various woodworking projects. He also loved to grow vegetables, including starting them from seedlings. When a sudden hail storm wiped out some seedlings, he decided it was time to build a portable greenhouse. He never seemed to run out of ideas for a project to get involved in.

Survivors include his wife Eileen of Wall; one daughter Katrina Torkelson of Rapid City; one sister Janet Nyberg of Riverton, Wyoming; two nephews Brant and Brandon Nyberg; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Orrin was preceded in death by his parents; and a brother-in-law Jim Nyberg.

Private family services will be held.

Interment will be at the Wall Cemetery.

Cards and memorials may be sent to P.O. Box 292, Wall, SD 57790.