On July 22, 1951, Marvin married Helen Irene Westrom, who was a confirmation classmate of his, at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake. In 2021, Marvin and Helen celebrated their 70th Wedding Anniversary. This union was blessed with four children, Richard, Allen, Derek, and Julia. They raised their family on the family farm where they raised hogs and cattle as well as farmed the land. He was a farmer through and through and loved being outside. He enjoyed fishing and went on fishing trips to Canada and South Dakota. Marvin and Helen also enjoyed traveling together and would often pack up the camper atop the pickup and hit the road. They traveled all over the United States enjoying traveling the Lewis & Clark Trail, the Pacific Coast Highway, as well as to places like Acapulco, MX, and Hawaii. One of their most memorable trips together was when they traveled to Seoul in 2015 as part of a gratitude tour for US veterans sponsored by the Republic of South Korea. In 2021, Marvin was gifted a Quilt of Valor for his service.
Marvin was clearly a man of deep faith. He served as President, Vice President and Secretary of the congregation. He served on the school board of LVA for fifteen years and was able to present each of his children a diploma. Marvin also was a member of and served on the local Pork Producers Board. He was a member of Wall Lake Legion Chalon Post 262 for sixty-seven years.
In his free time Marvin liked cheering on the Iowa State Cyclones and the Chicago Cubs. Back in the day he was in league bowling on a team with his brothers and he always made time to attend his children and later grandchildren’s events and activities. It must also be mentioned that Marvin was a pretty good fixer-of-all-things and was an excellent mechanic.
He loved his family dearly and enjoyed spending time with them over anything else. He will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved him.
He is survived by his children, Allen (Karen) Rohde of Norman, OK, Derek (Carol) Rohde of Lake View, IA, and Julia (Stephen) Souther of Lake View, IA; grandchildren: Tara (Bryan) Andersen, Traci (Clayton) Gunter, Greg (Jenny) Rohde, Angela (Jake) Gillen, Mikayla (Mike) Hoppenthaler, and Casey (Bre) Branning; great-grandchildren: Cora Andersen; Levi and Landri Lewis; Declan, Calihan, and Rhylan Rohde; Clara, Gabrielle, and Xavier Gillen; sister Berneta Carstensen; brother-in-law Loren Westrom; sisters-in-law Cecelia Rohde and Ardell Rohde; many nieces, nephews, other extended family members and friends.
Marvin was preceded in death by his wife, Helen (April 30, 2022); his parents; parents-in-law Lester and Millie Westrom; infant son Richard Rohde; siblings and spouses: Orlean Dozark (Melvin), Dorothy Subbert (Howard), Wilbert Rohde, Duane Rohde, Lester Rohde (Wynona), Gordon Rohde, Roma Jean Blum (Francis); sister-in-law Marilyn Westrom; brothers-in-law Donald Aschinger and Wally Carstensen.
