MARVIN GEORGE JOHNSON
Marvin George Johnson, age 94, passed away on Sunday, August 2, 2020, at the Journeys Neighborhood at Friendship Haven in Fort Dodge, Iowa. Marvin had deeded his body to the University of Iowa for medical studies and a celebration of his life will be held at a later date. Gunderson Funeral Home in Fort Dodge assisted with arrangements at the time of his death.
Marvin was born on September 22, 1925, to Enoch E. and Agda (Erickson) Johnson on a farm northwest of Pomeroy, Iowa. When he was 2 years old, his parents purchased the farm northeast of Fonda, where the family moved and Marvin spent most of the rest of his life. He attended grade school at Grant #9 and the early years of high school at Fonda Public School prior to graduating from Pocahontas High School in 1943. As he was growing up, he assisted his father in running the farm on which they lived. He was active in vocational agriculture, FFA and 4-H and through 4-H met Beryl White. After a few dates, Marvin joined the Army Air Corps and Beryl went on to study at Iowa State College. During his years in the service, Marvin spent time in the China, Burma, and India Theater as a nose turret gunner in the B-24. Following his time in the service, Marvin went to Iowa State where his relationship with Beryl resumed and blossomed. Marvin and Beryl were married on August 22, 1948, in the Rolfe Methodist Church. They lived on the family farm near Fonda.
Marvin was a member of the Evangelical Covenant Church, Pomeroy, Iowa, and actively participated in and contributed to church activities. He sang in the church choir and served on the church board, including a term as church president. He also served leadership roles on the board of the Palmer Cooperative Elevator, the board of the Pocahontas Rural Electric Cooperative, and the Pocahontas County Soil Conservation Board. Marvin and Beryl retired from farming in 1987 and in 2006 they moved to Kenyon Place at Friendship Haven in Fort Dodge. Since that time Marvin had been a resident of different other communities at Friendship Haven, including the Gardens and the Journeys, where he was residing at the time of his death.
Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Gordon and his wife of over 71 years, Beryl. He is survived by his daughter Maryl (David McPherson) of Madison, Wisconsin; son Brian (Ashley Wheater) of Chicago; nephew Alan (Diane) Johnson of Chicago, and niece Linda (Steve) Herbst and family of Carlisle, Massachusetts.
Marvin’s family would like to thank the staff at Journeys for their compassionate and loving care during the final months of his life. The family requests that any memorials be sent to the Friendship Haven Memorial Foundation, 420 Kenyon Road, Fort Dodge, Iowa 50501, to the attention of Denise Halverson.