The son of James Monroe Black and Fannie Agnes Politte, Oren began playing the harmonica at the age of 5.
As a young man, he joined a band and toured several countries with his bandmates. In 1939, he entered a harmonica contest at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis and won the championship.
Oren married Lois Gertrude Sanders on 23 Dec 1939 in Reynolds County, Missouri. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Department in Willow Springs. She worked as a waitress in a cafe when they were first married.
They lived in Reynolds County with his sister, Sylvia, and her husband, but moved to Wellston in St. Louis County in the 1940's. Oren then worked as a machinist for a bearing company, and Lois worked as an operator for Presti Eng. Co.
They eventually moved to nearby Bridgeton, Missouri where he continued to entertain friends, family and neighbors with his harmonica skills. He had a collection of harmonicas and was especially fond of a small one he named "Little Lady" that was said to be about the size of a piece of Trident gum.
In 2009, Oren moved to the Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Maryland Heights, but would spend weekends with his wife in their Bridgeton home.
Oren and Lois were playing dominoes at the kitchen table on Good Friday, 22 Apr 2011. Shortly after 8 p.m., St. Louis County was hit by an EF-4 tornado. As the storm neared, Lois grabbed Oren and pulled his head down. The 2 held on to each other until the worst of the storm had passed. By the time they were able to look around, they discovered that most of their home was gone.
The tornado hit the St. Louis airport, Lambert Field, and continued to leave a path of destruction through St. Louis County and into Illinois. The Black's house was one of about 2,700 damaged by the storm. While their home was a complete loss, the couple's only physical injury was a small bump on the head suffered by Oren.
When it was light, they began sifting through the wreckage in hopes of finding any or all of Oren's harmonica collection. He gave special instructions to the clean-up crew that he wanted them to look for his favorite "Little Lady" harmonica.
Days later, the tiny harmonica was discovered buried in the debris.
While the Black's home was being rebuilt, Oren returned to the Parkwood Center and his wife moved to an independent living center.
Oren passed away in his sleep on 02 Feb 2012 before the home was completed. At the time of his death, he was 95 years, 3 months and 21 days old.
He was survived by his wife of 72 years, Lois; 1 daughter, 2 granddaughters, 1 grandson and 2 great-grandchildren.
A visitation was held from 10 a.m. until noon funeral services at Collier's Funeral Home in St. Ann, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Oren's wife, Lois, passed away 6 months after him. They share a headstone.
Children: 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Black Hendrix
Oren's siblings:
Winfred Monta Black
Edna Mae Black Dunn
Sylvia Marie Black Bowles
Mamie Lou Black Nelson
Marvin Cleo Black
Ava Louise Black Glidewell Secunda
Lela Marie Black Callahan
As a young man, he joined a band and toured several countries with his bandmates. In 1939, he entered a harmonica contest at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis and won the championship.
Oren married Lois Gertrude Sanders on 23 Dec 1939 in Reynolds County, Missouri. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Department in Willow Springs. She worked as a waitress in a cafe when they were first married.
They lived in Reynolds County with his sister, Sylvia, and her husband, but moved to Wellston in St. Louis County in the 1940's. Oren then worked as a machinist for a bearing company, and Lois worked as an operator for Presti Eng. Co.
They eventually moved to nearby Bridgeton, Missouri where he continued to entertain friends, family and neighbors with his harmonica skills. He had a collection of harmonicas and was especially fond of a small one he named "Little Lady" that was said to be about the size of a piece of Trident gum.
In 2009, Oren moved to the Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Maryland Heights, but would spend weekends with his wife in their Bridgeton home.
Oren and Lois were playing dominoes at the kitchen table on Good Friday, 22 Apr 2011. Shortly after 8 p.m., St. Louis County was hit by an EF-4 tornado. As the storm neared, Lois grabbed Oren and pulled his head down. The 2 held on to each other until the worst of the storm had passed. By the time they were able to look around, they discovered that most of their home was gone.
The tornado hit the St. Louis airport, Lambert Field, and continued to leave a path of destruction through St. Louis County and into Illinois. The Black's house was one of about 2,700 damaged by the storm. While their home was a complete loss, the couple's only physical injury was a small bump on the head suffered by Oren.
When it was light, they began sifting through the wreckage in hopes of finding any or all of Oren's harmonica collection. He gave special instructions to the clean-up crew that he wanted them to look for his favorite "Little Lady" harmonica.
Days later, the tiny harmonica was discovered buried in the debris.
While the Black's home was being rebuilt, Oren returned to the Parkwood Center and his wife moved to an independent living center.
Oren passed away in his sleep on 02 Feb 2012 before the home was completed. At the time of his death, he was 95 years, 3 months and 21 days old.
He was survived by his wife of 72 years, Lois; 1 daughter, 2 granddaughters, 1 grandson and 2 great-grandchildren.
A visitation was held from 10 a.m. until noon funeral services at Collier's Funeral Home in St. Ann, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Oren's wife, Lois, passed away 6 months after him. They share a headstone.
Children: 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Black Hendrix
Oren's siblings:
Winfred Monta Black
Edna Mae Black Dunn
Sylvia Marie Black Bowles
Mamie Lou Black Nelson
Marvin Cleo Black
Ava Louise Black Glidewell Secunda
Lela Marie Black Callahan
The son of James Monroe Black and Fannie Agnes Politte, Oren began playing the harmonica at the age of 5.
As a young man, he joined a band and toured several countries with his bandmates. In 1939, he entered a harmonica contest at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis and won the championship.
Oren married Lois Gertrude Sanders on 23 Dec 1939 in Reynolds County, Missouri. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Department in Willow Springs. She worked as a waitress in a cafe when they were first married.
They lived in Reynolds County with his sister, Sylvia, and her husband, but moved to Wellston in St. Louis County in the 1940's. Oren then worked as a machinist for a bearing company, and Lois worked as an operator for Presti Eng. Co.
They eventually moved to nearby Bridgeton, Missouri where he continued to entertain friends, family and neighbors with his harmonica skills. He had a collection of harmonicas and was especially fond of a small one he named "Little Lady" that was said to be about the size of a piece of Trident gum.
In 2009, Oren moved to the Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Maryland Heights, but would spend weekends with his wife in their Bridgeton home.
Oren and Lois were playing dominoes at the kitchen table on Good Friday, 22 Apr 2011. Shortly after 8 p.m., St. Louis County was hit by an EF-4 tornado. As the storm neared, Lois grabbed Oren and pulled his head down. The 2 held on to each other until the worst of the storm had passed. By the time they were able to look around, they discovered that most of their home was gone.
The tornado hit the St. Louis airport, Lambert Field, and continued to leave a path of destruction through St. Louis County and into Illinois. The Black's house was one of about 2,700 damaged by the storm. While their home was a complete loss, the couple's only physical injury was a small bump on the head suffered by Oren.
When it was light, they began sifting through the wreckage in hopes of finding any or all of Oren's harmonica collection. He gave special instructions to the clean-up crew that he wanted them to look for his favorite "Little Lady" harmonica.
Days later, the tiny harmonica was discovered buried in the debris.
While the Black's home was being rebuilt, Oren returned to the Parkwood Center and his wife moved to an independent living center.
Oren passed away in his sleep on 02 Feb 2012 before the home was completed. At the time of his death, he was 95 years, 3 months and 21 days old.
He was survived by his wife of 72 years, Lois; 1 daughter, 2 granddaughters, 1 grandson and 2 great-grandchildren.
A visitation was held from 10 a.m. until noon funeral services at Collier's Funeral Home in St. Ann, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Oren's wife, Lois, passed away 6 months after him. They share a headstone.
Children: 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Black Hendrix
Oren's siblings:
Winfred Monta Black
Edna Mae Black Dunn
Sylvia Marie Black Bowles
Mamie Lou Black Nelson
Marvin Cleo Black
Ava Louise Black Glidewell Secunda
Lela Marie Black Callahan
As a young man, he joined a band and toured several countries with his bandmates. In 1939, he entered a harmonica contest at Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis and won the championship.
Oren married Lois Gertrude Sanders on 23 Dec 1939 in Reynolds County, Missouri. He worked for the Missouri State Highway Department in Willow Springs. She worked as a waitress in a cafe when they were first married.
They lived in Reynolds County with his sister, Sylvia, and her husband, but moved to Wellston in St. Louis County in the 1940's. Oren then worked as a machinist for a bearing company, and Lois worked as an operator for Presti Eng. Co.
They eventually moved to nearby Bridgeton, Missouri where he continued to entertain friends, family and neighbors with his harmonica skills. He had a collection of harmonicas and was especially fond of a small one he named "Little Lady" that was said to be about the size of a piece of Trident gum.
In 2009, Oren moved to the Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Maryland Heights, but would spend weekends with his wife in their Bridgeton home.
Oren and Lois were playing dominoes at the kitchen table on Good Friday, 22 Apr 2011. Shortly after 8 p.m., St. Louis County was hit by an EF-4 tornado. As the storm neared, Lois grabbed Oren and pulled his head down. The 2 held on to each other until the worst of the storm had passed. By the time they were able to look around, they discovered that most of their home was gone.
The tornado hit the St. Louis airport, Lambert Field, and continued to leave a path of destruction through St. Louis County and into Illinois. The Black's house was one of about 2,700 damaged by the storm. While their home was a complete loss, the couple's only physical injury was a small bump on the head suffered by Oren.
When it was light, they began sifting through the wreckage in hopes of finding any or all of Oren's harmonica collection. He gave special instructions to the clean-up crew that he wanted them to look for his favorite "Little Lady" harmonica.
Days later, the tiny harmonica was discovered buried in the debris.
While the Black's home was being rebuilt, Oren returned to the Parkwood Center and his wife moved to an independent living center.
Oren passed away in his sleep on 02 Feb 2012 before the home was completed. At the time of his death, he was 95 years, 3 months and 21 days old.
He was survived by his wife of 72 years, Lois; 1 daughter, 2 granddaughters, 1 grandson and 2 great-grandchildren.
A visitation was held from 10 a.m. until noon funeral services at Collier's Funeral Home in St. Ann, St. Louis County, Missouri.
Oren's wife, Lois, passed away 6 months after him. They share a headstone.
Children: 1 daughter.
Father of:
(Living) Black Hendrix
Oren's siblings:
Winfred Monta Black
Edna Mae Black Dunn
Sylvia Marie Black Bowles
Mamie Lou Black Nelson
Marvin Cleo Black
Ava Louise Black Glidewell Secunda
Lela Marie Black Callahan
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