Marvin Dale Dvorak
Marvin Dale Dvorak
Marvin Dale Dvorak
April 29, 1925 – January 19, 2016
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 90
Served With Honor ~ United States Military Veteran
Marvin Dvorak, 90, of Oskaloosa passed away, Tuesday, January 19, 2016, at the MHP Hospice Serenity House in Oskaloosa.
Marvin Dale Dvorak, son of Jerry Edward and Jennie Ella (Kramer) Dvorak, was born April 29, 1925, at his parents’ rural Walker, Iowa home.
Following Marvin’s education at Walker High School, he enlisted in the Army. Marvin was initially sent to Scotland and then to England and was one of the brave souls that flew into France on a glider on D-Day. He was wounded in France and spent the last year of his service at Mayo General Hospital in Galesburg, ILL. Upon his discharge, Marvin was awarded the European/African/Middle Eastern Ribbon with four Bronze Stars. After his release from the hospital, he returned to Walker.
On August 19, 1946, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Williams. To this union, two daughters were born. They later divorced.
Marvin worked for a number of companies, including Peterson Bakery, Montgomery Wards, and Colonial Bread, before earning his insurance license and moving to Manchester, IA in 1960 to manage the Farm Bureau Insurance Agency. In 1968, Farm Bureau transferred him to the Oskaloosa office where he was the director of Mahaska and Keokuk counties. He remained with Farm Bureau until his retirement in 1988.
March 9, 1972, Marvin was united in marriage to Joan (Gilchrist) Holm in Albia, Iowa. They made their home in Oskaloosa.
Marvin was a life-long member of the Presbyterian Church where he served as deacon and elder. He was also a member of the local Masonic Lodge, Shriners, Eastern Star, the American Legion and the V.F.W. Marvin was able to go on one of the first Honor Flights to Washington D.C. to see the WWII Memorial.
He enjoyed fishing, hunting and the out-of-doors; his back yard was his sanctuary. Feeding the birds, planting trees and maintaining his yard were labors of love for him. He made many friends through the years and looked forward to breakfast and coffee at the local restaurants. Marvin was blessed with five children; he treasured each of them as they did him.
Marvin’s family includes his children and their spouses: Cindy (& Steve) Muhl of Scottsdale, AZ, Debi (& Mike) Gifford of Jacksonville, FL, Mary (& Larry) Veenstra of Oskaloosa, Jan (& Marty) Langel of Cedar Rapids, and Doug (& Susan) Holm of Grand Bay, AL; seven grandchildren: Alisha (& Brian) Koborg, Ashely Muhl, Lacey (& Josh) Gay, Brooke (& Evan) Wickenkamp, Heather Holm, Wesley Holm and Taylor Langel; three great-grandchildren: Hayley and Beau Koborg and Dawson Gay; a sister, Violet Floyd of Hackensack, MN; and a special friend, Sharon Bower of Oskaloosa.
In addition to his parents, Marvin was preceded in death by his wife, Joan on May 17, 2008; and a sister, Eulabel Dvorak.
Funeral services for Marvin will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, January 23, 2016, at the First Presbyterian Church with Pastors Don Stribling and Bob Elgin officiating.
Military honors will be presented by the Oskaloosa Honor Guard.
As was his wish, Marvin’s body will be cremated following the service.
Visitation will begin at noon on Friday, January 22, at Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel; the family will greet visitors from 5-7 p.m.
Memorial contributions may be made to the MHP Hospice Services Serenity House or the First Presbyterian Church.
