Orin C. Birr

Orin Carl Birr, 96, passed away on October 18, 2026, at Oaklawn Nursing Home from respiratory failure.

Memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m., Friday, November 13, 2026 at Northview- North Mankato Mortuary. Visitation will be one hour prior to the services at the funeral home in Mankato.

Orin was born at home on the family farm in Faribault County, southeast of Amboy, Minn., on April 30, 1930, to Joseph and Marcella (Doering) Birr. The family moved to the farm east of Good Thunder in 1941. He attended St. John’s Lutheran School and Good Thunder High School.

Orin enlisted in the National Guard in 1948 and was assigned to the 135th Infantry Regiment Medical Company. His unit was activated in 1950 and was stationed at Camp Rucker, Alabama, then Fort Sam Houston, Texas, where he trained as a medic. He earned the rank of Staff Sergeant and was honorably discharged in 1952.

Orin was united in marriage to Dorladyne Gilberts on April 26, 1953. In February of 1954 the couple purchased a farm by St. Clair where they raised their six children and lived the rest of their lives. Orin was actively farming until three weeks before his passing.

Orin was a dedicated lifelong farmer who rarely took time off, but enjoyed traveling, reading, history events, watching old Westerns on TV, and spending time with his family.

Orin is survived by two sons, Steve (Becky) Birr of Buffalo, Minn. and Scott (Jackie) Birr of Mankato; three daughters, Pam (Neil) Mattick of Mankato, Brenda Birr of New Ulm, and Cheryl (Dan) Klages of St. Clair; eleven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren (with number eight due in December); as well as many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorla, in 2018; his son, Larry, in 1996; his parents; his parents-in-law, Roy and Grace Gilberts; two sisters and their husbands, Marliss (George) Rosin and Arlene (Hilbert) Bergemann; three brothers and their wives, Luverne Birr, Alvin (Susie) Birr, Marvin (Patricia) Birr, Janet Birr, and Connie Birr; sisters-in-law and their husbands, Violet (Willard) Schulz, Lucille (Herman) Kleen; brothers-in-law, Richard (Juanita) Cue, and Emmett Gilberts.