Oliver Urban Whalen, 88, of Rose Creek, Minnesota, died Friday, Nov. 18, 2016, at Comforcare Good Samaritan.

Oliver was born Jan. 12, 1928, in Howard County, Iowa, to Urban and Blanche (Demars) Whalen. He attended country school at Plymouth Rock until the family moved to Minnesota when he was seven. He then attended Queen of Angels School.

Oliver served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Lowry in World War II from 1945 to 1947. He was employed by the Hormel Company in Austin, Minnesota, from 1944 to 1986, when he retired. In June 1948 he married Pauline Lonergan and to that union six children were born. Pauline died in September 1960. In January of 1969 he was joined in marriage to Marlene Helen Wagner. They lived in rural Rose Creek where Oliver farmed and where they retired in 1999.

Oliver’s interests included gardening, fishing, traveling and going to the casino. He enjoyed feeding the birds and all things in nature. Oliver’s Sunday coffee and doughnuts after Mass, at the Donut Connection, was a special time. He was a member of the Morning Coffee Club at Hy-Vee. Oliver was often seen attending local auctions. He was a lifelong member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Rose Creek and was a member of the Adams American Legion Post No. 146.

Oliver always had time for his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and many friends.

Survivors include his wife, Marlene, Rose Creek; children, David (Dee), Rose Creek, Larry (Marty), Backus, Minnesota, Brian (Connie Brown-Caldwell), Rose Creek, Rita (Tom) Hanegraaf, Rose Creek, Paula (Larry) Goslee, Austin, LuAnne (Larry) Rowe, Hayfield, Minnesota, Barbara (Phil) Wollenburg, Rochester, Minnesota, Barbara (Ed) Nystrom, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, and Lisa (Robert) Welper, Clear Lake, Iowa; 24 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews, as well as other relatives and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Pauline; son, Douglas; siblings, Leonard, Leslie, Floyd, Alois, Patrick, Gladys Bednar, Ruth Carolan, Aletha Whalen and Cecilia Martin.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, 2016, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, Rose Creek, with Father Swaminatha Pothireddy officiating. Friends may call from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday at Mayer Funeral Home and also one hour before the service at the church on Saturday.  Interment will be in St. Peter’s Cemetery with military rites by the Adams American Legion Post No. 146.

Condolences may be left online at www.mayerfh.com.