Marvin Howen

Marvin Howen, age 90, of Ortonville passed away on Saturday, April 6, 2013 at Northridge Residence in Ortonville, MN.


Memorial services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, April 13, 2013 at the Mundwiler and Larson Funeral Home of Ortonville with Pastor Richard Larson officiating. Burial will be held at a later date in the Clinton City Cemetery.


Marvin Howen was born May 29, 1922, to Cornelius Howen and Mollie (Jansen) Howen. When Marvin was 11 years old (1933) he injured an eye while playing. Marvin was a frightened little boy, left alone in the Willmar hospital, as his parents could not afford to stay with him and doctors there were not able to save his eye. At the age of 20, Marvin registered for and was later drafted into the Army, spending three years active duty during WWII. Due to his limited eyesight, he was sent to Missouri for training. His tour of duty involved transporting munitions to armed forces from the ship he was on which was stationed near the Italian coast. There were many restless nights and plenty of worrisome times for a group of scared farm boys as there were many enemy submarines also patrolling the area. Many of the escort ships never made it. The return trip to stateside found Marv guarding Italian prisoners of war. While on guard duty Marv remembered attaching his ammo belt to solid structures during the trip to stay upright travelling through the rough seas.


After returning home, Marvin spent some time in Rockford, Illinois working in a factory. He then returned to Ortonville to farm, raised sheep for a time, and then moved on to road construction. In January of 1970, Marvin married Gladys Nelson. They lived in Clinton and later moved to Dawson. Marvin had various jobs, including working for the Clinton Co-op Elevator, working for the cities of Clinton and Dawson, but what he enjoyed most was gathering large quantities of scrap metal and transporting it to Marshall to be sold - he really enjoyed being his own boss.


Marvin loved dogs, fishing, working in his garden, playing cribbage (but not getting beat!), and feeding and watching birds. Marvin was a friend to people in need and often visited friends in the Dawson nursing home, providing them with fresh vegetables from his garden. Whenever his elderly neighbors needed a ride to the doctor, Marvin was there.


Marvin passed away on April 6, 2013, at Northridge Residence in Ortonville, having reached the age of 90 years, 10 months and 7days.


Marvin is survived by his wife Gladys; step-children: Larry (fiance Carol Anderson) Nelson, Bonnie (Arnie) Jostock, Connie (Bill) Klappenbach, Coralie (Roger) Sandberg, and Danny (Tina) Nelson; several step-grandchildren, great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and nieces and nephews.


Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, Cornelius and Molly Howen; brothers Elmer and Alvin; sisters Etta South, Lillian Gau, and Emma Swezey; and step-grandsons Casey Sandberg and Troy McCallum.