William O'Rourke

William "Bill" Richard O'Rourke was born to Joseph W. and Carrie Ellen (Byrd) O'Rourke on September 5, 1935 in Elmhurst, IL. He grew up in St. Louis, MO with his mother and maternal grandparents. In the eighth grade his teacher, Ruth Parker, took an interest in Bill's spiritual and educational future and obtained for him a full scholarship to the Stony Brook (boarding) School, a Christian preparatory school on Long Island, NY. There he heard the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time, and believing, it was foundational for the rest of his life. He then attended Wheaton College, IL, preparing for medical school at the University of Missouri. While at Wheaton he met Mary Grace Derbaum; they were married June 9, 1959. To this union five children were born: Bill Jr., Timothy, Carrie, Jessica, and Patrick. After additional training they moved to Westminster, MD in 1964 where he began his medical practice. He was a Charter Member of the Board of Family Practice, and active in the Christian Medical Society, participating in one of their medical missions to the Dominican Republic. He loved treating patients of all ages, from infants to those in a nursing home. He did this for thirty-four years. William was an elder in the Presbyterian Church in America; then an active member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Roanoke, VA during their first retirement at Smith Mountain Lake. Since moving to Ames, IA in 2014 his church home has been Ascension Lutheran Church where he has been faithful in worship and Holy Communion. His lasting interests were Christian theology and gadgets of any kind (his last being a tiny drone). He also loved to fix anything he could. One highlight of his retirement was the 10 weeks in 2007/2008 he and Mary Grace served in Rafiki Foundation's Orphanage and School in Tanzania and also a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. William enjoyed doing yardwork and had an extensive set of tools. He is served by his much loved wife, Mary Grace; his five children, Bill (Jennifer) of Flemington, NJ, Tim (Maribel) of Chantilly, VA, Carrie (James) Warren of Story City, IA, Jessica Hulseman of Portsmouth, NH, and Patrick (Kristen) of Elmhurst, IL.; and fourteen grandchildren, Tom and Megan O'Rourke, Sean and Lauren O'Rourke, Eva (Daniel) Leeland, Victorie Warren, Hazen and Caleb Hill, Elizah (Abner) Hulseman, Isabel (Ben) Willems, Charlotte Hulseman, Kaitlyn, Elisa, and Claire O'Rourke; and one great-grandson, Ryland Willems. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless her memory in the midst of family and friends, congregation and community. Funeral services were held Thursday June 26th at 10:30 a.m. at Ascension Lutheran Church in Ames. Burial followed in the Ames Municipal Cemetery. Visitation was Wednesday from 5p.m. to 7 p.m. at Adam's Funeral Home in Ames, Iowa.