Obituary of Marilynne Gertrude Ocando

    Marilynne “Muff” Gertrude (Dather) Ocando, age 84, passed away on June 15, 2018 in Hospice Care at Annapolis, MD, following complications of a stroke. Born on February 24, 1934 in Melvin, IA to Ivan and Freda (Klever) Dather, she spent her childhood on the family farm in Iowa, and her high school years in Ruthton, MN.  She loved riding horses and was a Spelling Bee State Champion.

    Following high school graduation, Marilynne furthered her education at the Minnesota School of Business where she earned an Associates Degree. When the United States government came to the Midwest to recruit employees, Marilynne accepted a position with the United States Department of State. She was excited about world travel and was given a three-year assignment working in Caracas, Venezuela. While there, she met Oswaldo Ocando who was a pilot for the government embassy. They fell in love in 1956 at an embassy party, and were married July 16, 1957 in Venezuela. Soon after marriage, they moved to Washington, D.C. and had twin daughters, Alicia and Brenda, born May 27, 1958. They were married for 11 years until divorcing in 1969. Marilynne was always fond of Oswaldo, and requested he be buried with her.

    While working for the United States Federal Trade Commission, Marilynne attended Montgomery College in MD, and studied German at the Deutsche Schule in Potomac, MD. She then took a position as an Administrative Officer with the United States Department of Agriculture, being responsible for government personnel matters, budget and finance, procurement, contracts, and administrative services. She retired in 1993.

    Since 1977, Muff has researched her family lines, and their collateral lines in the U.S., Canada, and Germany. As a member of the Mid-Atlantic Germanic Society (MAGS) since 1991, she served as the Corresponding Secretary from October 1995 - September 2001. She was also a member of the State Genealogical Societies in Iowa and Illinois, Minnesota German Genealogical Society, Genealogical Society of Western Pennsylvania, and Ostfriesen Genealogical Society of America, St. Paul, MN. Her accomplishments include genealogical courses and multiple awards. She was a member of First Families of Western Pennsylvania and obtained Iowa’s Statehood Pioneer & Century Certificate and Early Settler & Century Family Certificate, as well as Prairie Pioneers of Illinois. Marilynne was proud of her genealogical research of family history. Her countless years of research, traveling to Germany, finding gravesites, and library documentation in many states, culminated in the original writing, printing, and copyrighting of several books. The Library of Congress contains her works: The Dather Family in America (04 Mar 2005; reprint 2009), The Thater (Dather) Family in Germany (12 Mar 2012), and Klever Family Histories (04 Dec 2009). She also contributed an article to the MAGS Der Kurier newletter. One of her greatest genealogical triumphs was discovering her family lines included two United States presidents: Ulysses S. Grant and Andrew Jackson.

    Marilynne is survived by her two daughters: Alicia Ocando and Brenda (Ocando) Iraola and her husband, Miguel; grandchildren: Kyle and Tara Iraola all of Laurel, MD; sisters: Delores Popma and Sandra Eichorn; a brother, Douglas Dather; many nieces and nephews, other relatives and friends.

Oswaldo Ocando passed away December 11, 2005 in Costa Rica. His ashes will be interred today along with Marilynne (Dather) Ocando. Together they will be surrounded by the glory of God Almighty...we can only imagine.

OBITUARY of Oswaldo Jose Ocando

    Oswaldo “Ossie” Jose Ocando Batista, age 74, died December 11, 2005 at his home in Alajuela, Costa Rica of a heart attack. He was born April 30, 1931 in Caracas, Venezuela to Ramon Ocando Perez and Josefina Baptista. His ashes were returned to his family (Marilynne, Alicia, and Brenda) in the United States by the American Embassy on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2006.

    As a young boy in Venezuela, Oswaldo achieved the status of an Eagle Scout. His father, Ramon Ocando, was the Founder of Boy Scouts for Venezuela. After he completed his education, Oswaldo worked as a draftsman for the Ministry of Interior, and five years as a DC-3 Captain of Aviation (pilot) for Ransa Airlines in Venezuela.

    Oswaldo met Marilynne Dather in Venezuela while she was working for the State Department; he worked for the Venezuelan government. Oswaldo (age 26) married his love, Marilynne Gertrude Dather (23), in Caracas, Venezuela on July 16, 1957. Following their marriage, they lived in Washington, D.C. In the 11 years they were married, they returned to the Midwest on several occasions with their twin daughters, Alicia Christine and Brenda Josephine who were born May 27, 1958. They divorced in 1969.

    Oswaldo worked as a Senior Draftsman with several companies from 1957 to 1993, including Airways Engineering Corp. at Washington, D.C., Thomas G. Oyster & Associates of Wheaton, MD, the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission (MNCPPC) at Silver Spring and Riverdale, MD, and for the Montgomery County Government, Community Development of Rockville, MD. He flew an airplane occasionally for purposes of aerial photography while employed at MNCPPC. Oswaldo retired in May of 1993 and relocated to Florida. In September 1995, he returned to his native country of Venezuela where he lived until moving to Costa Rica in 2001. He wrote many letters to his children, Alicia and Brenda, from 1995 to 2005. They surprised Oswaldo on Father’s Day in 2001 by visiting him in Costa Rica; it was a very special time for all of them.

    Ossie’s first love was flying; it brought him great joy. He was proud of being a pilot in Venezuela, flying DC-3 planes. He obtained his U.S. pilot’s license to fly small planes by devoting his free time at Rose Valley, now Freeway Airport in MD, where he also logged flight hours in a helicopter and amphibious aircraft. While in Florida, he volunteered as a pilot for “Angel Flight”, transporting children in need of medical attention. He also flew for “Mission Air”, an organization involved with relief for victims of natural disasters, earthquakes, hurricanes, famines, terrorism, etc. He was a member of the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, Experimental Aircraft Association, and the DC-3/Dakota Historical Society. He helped provide “learning to fly” exhibits for the Costa Rica, San Jose Children’s Museum. Oswaldo believed God had given him the ability to fly, and it was his duty to serve Him.

    He is survived by his daughters: Alicia Ocando and Brenda (Ocando) Iraola and her husband, Miguel; grandchildren: Kyle and Tara Iraola all of Laurel, Maryland; brothers: Luis Enrique Ocando and Bernardo Ocando of Caracas, Venezuela; nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.

In Loving Memory

Marilynne G. Ocando

Age ~ 84 years    3 months    21 days

Oswaldo J. Ocando

Age ~ 74 years    7 months    11 days

Celebration of Life

Saturday, June 23, 2018  ~  2:00 p.m.

United Methodist Church

Melvin, Iowa

Clergy ~ Pastor Judy Johnson

Pianist ~ Sandra Eichorn

Musical Tribute

Heitritter Family

"How Great Thou Art"

Congregational Singing

Processional ~ “My Faith Looks Up To Thee”  #452

                                    “In The Garden”  #314

                                 “On Eagle’s Wings”  #143

                                  “Amazing Grace”  #378

                      “O Love That Wilt Not Let Me Go”  #480

Recessional ~ “God Be With You Till We Meet Again”  #672

Pallbearers

Paul Heitritter    Todd Heitritter    Mark Benz

Miguel Iraola    Kevin Dather    Grant Dather

Usher

Daryle Daggett 

Interment

Baker Township Cemetery

Melvin, Iowa