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Orvin Olin Schjei was born September 28, 1934 in Brandon, MN, the son of Ole and Ella (Mathias) Schjei. He attended country school in rural Brandon. Following his schooling he worked on the family farm and hired himself out to other local farmers. On December 15, 1954 Orvin was united in marriage to Doreen Shuck at Elbow Lake. Following their marriage the couple made their home at Villard, Staples and Elbow Lake before moving to Brandon in 1956 where they have lived since. He worked at the Standard Oil station in Brandon and then worked one year for the City of Brandon. Orvin began working for the Douglas County Highway Department. He drove truck and snowplows for the county for twenty-seven years before retiring in 1996. Orvin would take time off his job to drive for the sugar beet farmers during harvest. He continued sugar beeting until 2001. He also worked part-time plowing snow for Brandon and Douglas County. Orvin was a member of the Brandon Fire Department and the Brandon Sportsman?s Club. He was an avid sports fan. He enjoyed watching the Vikings and the Twins. He also enjoyed watching town baseball and the local school teams play. Orvin liked to spend time woodworking, golfing and fishing in the summer and winter. He was always up for a game of cribbage and liked to shake the dice with his coffee buddies. Orvin loved spending time with his grandchildren and great grandchildren. On Sunday, March 28, 2010 Orvin died at the age of seventy-five years. His wife, Doreen and one sister, Ardis Schmidt, preceded him in death. Orvin is survived by one daughter, Lori (Jerry) Lee of Brandon; son, Doug (Pam) Schjei of Brandon; five grandchildren, Crystal Lee and friend, Chanc Keefe, of Thief River Falls, MN; Amanda (Dan) Johnson of Brandon, MN; Jared Schjei of Burlington, IA; Jenny Schjei and fianc�e, Cole Sadlo, of Alexandria; Heather Schjei of Phoenix, AZ; and great grandchildren, Alexis, Natalie and Kaitlyn Blaskowski and Andrew and Brandon Johnson. Funeral services were held March 31, 2010 at the Grace Lutheran Church, Brandon, Minnesota with Rev. Dennis L. Preston officiating. Diane Alveshere and Peggy Weise provided music. The pallbearers were grandchildren, Crystal Lee, Amanda Johnson, Jared Schjei, Jenny Schjei, Heather Schjei and grandsons-in-law, Cole Sadlo and Dan Johnson. Interment was in the Brandon Cemetery in Brandon, MN. The Anderson Funeral Home, Alexandria, was in charge of arrangements.