Marvin Walter Meinke was born Sept. 12, 1934, to Walter and Martha Meinke of Denton. Marvin passed away Sept. 13, 2023, at the Wilber Care Center at the age of 89.
Marvin attended School in Denton and graduated in 1951 from Crete High School. After graduation, Marvin worked at the Crete Mills before and after joining the U.S. Army from 1954-1956. Married Lenora Heitman on Nov. 18, 1956, at the parsonage of St John's Lutheran Church in Kramer. Other jobs Marvin did prior to becoming a lifetime farmer and raising livestock included running Ed Hansmeyer's hay baler, working at Feed Service and Packers Sanitation. Marvin continued farming until he was 85 years of age, but still helped out by raking hay etc., when he could. As of this summer, Marvin was found in the John Deere with the scraper, cleaning out a pond that had gone dry.
He was a member of the Hallam American Legion Post 294. Marvin was an avid bowler, and together with Lenora, bowled on a couples league as well as bowling on a men's team. He loved to watch WWF wrestling, NASCAR races and listen to polka music and the Molie B Polka Show on TV. He took joy watching activities his grandchildren were involved in and offering farming tips to his grandsons as he thought necessary. Marvin became a member of the Plymouth Congregational Church of Crete in 2016. He cherished the friendships he made there and sharing stories to others of his church family.
He is survived by his wife, Lenora; children, Dave (Judy) of Hallam, and Kevin (Tammy) of Crete; grandchildren, Nick and Lacy Meinke, Leah and Jason Harrington, Eddie and Ali Meinke, Melissa and Edwen Rodriquez, Scott and Annie Meinke and Doug Meinke; great-grandchildren, Kinsley and Kaden Meinke, Jacob, Josiah and Jeremiah Harrington, Danny, Aubrey, Colton, Wyatt, Archer and Charlie Meinke, Maverick Meinke and Isabella Rodriquez; brothers, Harold Meinke of Crete; sister and brother-in-law, Iverna and Mark Mercer of Wyoming, Michigan. He was preceeded in death by his parents; grandson, Bryan Meinke; brother, Eugene; and sister-in-law, Margaret Meinke.
The funeral service, with military honors, was Sept. 18. at the Kramer Community Cemetery. Arrangements by Kuncl Funeral Home
