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Orville Carl Brando, 87 of Early, Texas, passed away Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024. A Celebration of Life was held at The Early Church in Early, Texas, on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024.
Orville was born May 14, 1937 in Pittsburg, California, to Orville and Charleen Brando. He graduated high school and attended a technical college. He married Kathy Jean Siders in Ceres, California, on Nov. 27, 1982. Orville grew up by the beach in Monterey, California, where his love for the beach started. He worked 27 years at Del Monte/Tri Valley growers in Modesto, California, traveling all over the world to set up cannery production lines and make them run smoothly. Kathy said in 41 years of being married, they lived in California, South Dakota twice, Wyoming twice, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Texas twice. Orville ran horse tracks, dog tracks, did maintenance consulting and managed many fairs. His favorite sport was fishing, while he also loved hunting, dirt bike riding, snow skiing, water skiing and scuba diving. Orville met the love of his life while country-Western dancing in Ceres, California, which led to Orville and Kathy teaching dance classes together. He loved the beach and they took many trips to Dillon Beach in California free diving for abalone, digging for horse neck clams and crabbing, which led to many scuba diving trips in foreign countries. He had a full life and loved to make people laugh. He held the honor of being 1998 Rocky Mountain Association of Fairs fair manager of the year in five states and Canada while managing the Park County Fair.
Orville is survived by his beloved wife, Kathy Brando of Early; daughter, Terri Fontana of Tennessee; sons, Tim and Shelley Brando of Powell, Wyoming, and Brian and Kim Brando of Brownwood, Texas; adopted daughter, Leslie and Charles Jinkins of Dumas, Texas; sisters-in-law, Shirley and Alan Mielke, Linda Smoot and Ann Wiedrich, all of South Dakota; grandchildren, Vito and Bonnie Fontana; Gino Fontana; Amy and Tommy Henley; Zach and Tiffany Brando; Kaitlyn and Tim Peevy; Michael and Laura Fowler; Shane and Megan Fowler; 16 great-grandkids; nieces, Michelle Meyers and Kristy Franzo; nephew, Bryan and Tina Wildberger; many friends.
Orville was preceded in death by his father, Orville Brando; mother, Charleen Valnizza and his stepdad, Lester Valnizza; son, Rick Brando; son-in-law, Frank Fontana; brothers, Tony Valnizza and Gary Valnizza; sister, Joyce Abruzzini; father and mother-in-law, Stanley and Lavern Siders, and grandson, Seth Drew.
Online condolences can be shared with the family at heartlandfuneralhome.net.
