Orlea (Burkley)

Seely

Orlea (Burkley) Seely, 96 years old, of Payne, Ohio passed away November 12, 2022, at Vancrest of Payne, Ohio.

She was born on July 23, 1926, to Raymond and Edith (Betts) Burkley in Payne, Ohio.  She graduated from the Payne High School in 1944. In 1948 she married Vincent Seely, the love of her life, in Reading, Michigan. Vincent went home to be with the Lord on December 21, 2001.

Surviving are four children – Robin (Gerry) Seely, Westcliffe, Colo., Rodney (Jane) Seely, Huntington, Indiana, Donna (John) Bartolf, Somers, Connecticut, and Cathy (John) Ruiz, Payne, Ohio.

Also surviving is brother Duane (JoAnn) Burkley, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and three sisters Veda Crawford, Napoleon, Ohio, Lorean McCollum, Paulding, Ohio, Lula (Lennis) Saylor, Payne, Ohio, brother Dorce Burkley, deceased.

Orlea (lovingly known as Oma) leaves behind thirteen grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren, as well as many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews. Orlea loved her family dearly.

Vincent and Orlea both graduated from Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa, Idaho. Orlea did further study through Utah State University, and St. Francis and IPFW in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

The Seelys and their children lived in LaPaz Bolivia, South America from 1959-1963, working in missions for the Church of the Nazarene with emphasis on church sponsored schools.

Both Orlea and her husband were teachers and spent the last 19 years of their career both teaching 5 ^th grade in Antwerp, Ohio elementary school. Both retired in 1987.

Orlea was very active in the Payne Church of the Nazarene. Her favorite pastimes were knitting many afghans, gardening, birdwatching, tending to her flower beds, and keeping records.

Visitation for Orlea will be held from 5-8 p.m., Wednesday, November 16, 2022, at Den Herder Funeral Home in Paulding. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, November 17, 2022, with calling one hour before at the Payne Church of the Nazarene, with Rev. Michael D. Harper officiating. Interment will follow at the Lehman Cemetery in Payne.

The family requests that memorial contributions be made to "Nazarene Compassionate Ministries". Make checks payable to General Treasurer and can be sent to: Global Treasury Services Church of the Nazarene, P.O. Box 843116, Kansas City, MO, 64184.