Ida Nielsine Orton

Ida Nielsine Orton, age 88, of Salem, OR. died peacefully on Thursday, October 29, 2026 in Oceanside, CA, where her daughter resides, after living with dementia for quite some time. She was born in Redfield, South Dakota, Spink County in a farm home on August 7, 1938; the sixth child born to Peter Christian Jessen and Anna Julia Johnson Jessen.

Ida attended the Brink Rural Elementary School in Spink County, 6 miles east of Redfield, South Dakota, where she was the only student in her class from 1st through 8th grade. She learned the value of hard work on the family farm when at the young age of 12 years, she helped with farm chores, including driving a pick-up truck beside the combine which was driven by her older brothers. After her 8th grade year, Ida and Arlene (sister) moved into the city of Redfield with their parents. Ida started high school in the fall of 1952 and graduated in 1956 with only 56 students in her class. During her high school years, she used her interest, time and talents to become proficient in academics, sing in school choirs and play the organ for church services. Her outgoing, friendly demeanor led to her taking on leadership roles which she seemed to enjoy.

Ida decided to attend Augustana College (now University) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. She graduated with a BA degree in Sociology in 1960. During her years at Augustana, she was named to the “Who’s Who” Group on campus, was a Mentor for incoming freshmen, and her senior year she was voted to be a candidate for the annual Augustana Viking Days Homecoming Royalty Court. Additionally, during Ida's senior year, she was voted as the Blue Key Men’s “Sweetheart”.

After graduating from Augustana College, Ida attended graduate school for social work in Denver, CO at the University of Denver in the fall of 1960. It was there she met her future husband, Dean Orton, who was attending the same graduate school. Both graduated in 1962 with MSW degrees. They married on December 21, 1962 in Redfield, South Dakota, then proceeded to Salem, OR. They lived together in Salem until Dean passed away in January 2016 (53 years) and later Ida moved to Oceanside, CA. in April, 2022.

Ida worked as a social worker for Marion County and Catholic Community Services doing adoption studies and taught a Social Work class at Willamette University. After her first child was born, Ida was a stay at home mom for 20 years until she went back to work in 1984, where she worked as a social worker for Fairview: a state institution for the mentally handicapped. There she worked with parents of the patients who resided at the facility. Ida also held volunteer positions at the YWCA for approximately 20 years including treasurer and president.

Ida was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints serving in various positions including Homemaking Leader, Relief Society President, Family History Leader and Temple worker. Ida was a proponent and expert at genealogy research. She often contacted distant family members (including those living outside the United States), visited grave sites, found others to interpret Danish letters, etc in order to get family information. She later organized all this information and created an impressive genealogy book full of facts and stories that she shared with all her family. 

In addition to doing genealogy work, Ida loved cooking (was well-known for her cooking abilities), gardening (again well-known for her huge vegetable/fruit garden and beautiful flower gardens), walking every day with her friends and visiting with family and friends. 

Ida is survived by her three children: Gregg (Cynthia) Orton, Mark (RaeAnn) Orton, Janelle (Mike) Harris, 11 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren, her sister Arlene (Howard) Bich from Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Ruth Jessen (sister-in-law) from Redfield, South Dakota and numerous nieces and nephews. Ida is predeceased by her husband, Dean Orton, her parents Peter and Anna Jessen and siblings: Donald, Wayne, Julianna, Elaine, and Russell.