Orlando P. Martorani of Murphysboro

Orlando P. Martorani, 105, passed away at 7 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 30, 2019, at Manor Court of Carbondale.

Orlando Pedro was born Oct. 19, 1914, in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, to Francisco Martorani and Francisca (Lebrón) Martorani. 

He began a career as a bookkeeper and married Mercedes (Delgado Garcia) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on Dec. 14, 1941, exactly one week after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In December 1943, Orlando answered the call to military service, joining the U.S. Army as a member of the Coastal Artillery Corps, responsible for the defense of the coasts and harbors of the United States during the first half of the 20th century. As a member of that corps, Orlando was briefly assigned to duty in Inglewood and San Diego, Calif., before being stationed in Panama, guarding the Panama Canal. He was later stationed in Boston, Mass., to guard German prisoners of war. 

Upon his honorable discharge in February 1946, Orlando returned to his life in Puerto Rico, where he and Mercedes raised their family.  After retiring in 1980, Orlando and Mercedes came to live in Murphysboro. A short-wave radio enthusiast, Orlando was also an avid Chicago Cubs fan, who at the age of 102 was able to finally see his team win the World Series championship.

Orlando cared for his wife Mercedes until she passed away Jan. 24, 2003, after a long illness.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mercedes; and one son, Orlando J. Martorani, on March 12, 2017, who served in Vietnam assigned to U.S. Army's 1st Cavalry Division. Orlando Pedro was also preceded in death by his parents, Francisco and Francisca; and one sister, Hilda.

Orlando is survived by one daughter and her husband, Gilda and Thomas Ihle of Murphysboro; one daughter-in-law, Linda Martorani Dale of Toa Baja, Puerto Rico; and six grandchildren and two great grandchildren, Timothy E. Ihle of Los Angeles, Calif., Gina M. and Lorenzo (Ollie) Olivarez and their daughter Lauryn of Houston, Texas, Trent E. Ihle and his daughter Brooklyn of Murphysboro, Todd E. Ihle of Dallas, Texas, David O. Martorani of Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, and Daniel O. Martorani of Dallas, Texas.

Private gravesite services have been held at St. Andrew Cemetery. For more information, visit pettettfuneralhome.com.