Douglas Nelson Orndorff

Douglas Nelson Orndorff

Orndorff, Douglas Nelson (1911-1967)

Portrait of Douglas Nelson Orndorff wearing a suit.

Douglas Orndorff grew up in Woodstock, the oldest child of Clarence Lemuel and Vesta Schaeffer Orndorff. In 1920, the family lived in Woodstock where Douglas’ father worked as a machinist at the creamery. Douglas had four younger siblings at that time.

He married 21-year old Stella Virginia Combs in April 1938 when he worked as a Drug clerk. She was from Rockingham County and lived in Broadway.

Five years later, Douglas enlisted in the Army and became part of the 78th Replacement Battalion, 455th Replacement Company. His rank was “T-4”. He served from June 1943 to November 1945.

Douglas and Stella divorced a couple of years after he got out of the military.

Less than a year later, he married his second wife, Margret Vernell Webber Hamner (1908-1977) in Harrisonburg, where they both lived. When they married, Douglas was an apprentice embalmer while Margret worked as the manager of the “Smart & Thrifty” store.

The 1950 census found the couple living on N. Garfield Street in Arlington where Douglas worked as a mortician in a funeral home. The couple had an 11-year old son, Frank F. Orndorff.

Eventually, they moved back to Woodstock, where Douglas died in 1967. He and Margret are both buried in Lynchburg, where she was born.

Morrison Studio

Morrison Studio Collection - Shenandoah County Historical Society

Shenandoah County Library

Undated

Identified by Sandra Armentrout, niece of the subject, who has a similar photograph in her family album.

Additional biographical information was compiled from public records.

IN COPYRIGHT - NON-COMMERCIAL USE PERMITTED

Douglas Nelson Orndorff appears in Morrison Studio Collection images 03090 and 003094.

003094

Glass Negatives