Marvin Lee Nelson

Marvin Lee Nelson, of Mankato, Kansas, son of John and Hilda (Anderson) Nelson was born on the family farm, one mile south of Courtland, on March 31, 1925. He was the youngest of eight children. Marvin was baptized and confirmed in the Ada Lutheran Church, rural Courtland. He attended Courtland Grade and High School and graduated in 1943. He married Ila Tobias, August 17, 1947. They are the parents of three children, Eric, Lisa, and Kendall.

Marvin and Ila lived on a farm southwest of Courtland for eleven years and then moved to a farm northwest of Formoso. Ila’s great-grandfather had owned this farm and today Marvin’s and Ila’s youngest son, Kendall, lives on it. Marvin was quite proud that his farm has been in Ila’s family for six generations. Farming was Marvin’s true vocation. He loved all aspects of it, the planting, harvesting, and taking care of the livestock. Even in the bad years and there were some of them, he always looked forward to next year, ”it will be better”. Some of those bad years he worked on the Lovewell Dam, worked in Wichita for a landscaping company, and was a feed salesman. But the farm was his true love and occupation. Marvin retired from farming when he was 80 years old, because of failing eyesight and he and Ila moved to Mankato. Marvin still kept the telephone line busy talking to Kendall about the crops and cattle and offering advice and calling Eric to see how his vineyard and the landscape business was doing. Lots of advice. Marvin always had some advice for Lisa, regardless what she was doing at the time. He enjoyed keeping track of his family by visiting with them on the phone. And now his grandsons are following in his and their Dad’s footsteps as farmers and he is so proud that they chose to be farmers.

Marvin and Ila joined the Courtland Methodist Church after their marriage. He helped with a Sunday school class when his children were in Sunday school. He was on the finance committee for the building of the new church and later when they purchased a different parsonage. After moving to Mankato, he transferred his membership to the Mankato Harmony United Methodist Church. Health problems kept him from attending church in Mankato. Marvin enjoyed watching the church services from the Wichita United Methodist Church on the TV every Sunday morning.

Marvin was preceded in death by his parents; infant sister – Leonora; and sisters – Arden Toftoy, Blanche Nelson; brothers – Chester, Harold, Rudolph, and Russell. He is survived by his wife – Ila of 67 years; sons – Eric and wife, Teresa Nelson of Lincoln, Nebraska, Kendall and wife, Sandy Nelson of Formoso, Kansas; daughter – Lisa and husband, Todd Goodheart of Glen Elder, Kansas; granddaughter – Amanda and husband, Brian Walker of Lincoln, Nebraska; grandsons – Jared and Tricia Nelson and Jason Nelson all of Formoso, Kansas; great-granddaughter – Aubry Walker; great-grandson – Isaac Nelson; sister-in-law – Lucille Nelson of Topeka, Kansas; nieces; nephews; cousins; and a host of other relatives and friends.

A celebration of life service for Marvin L. Nelson will be (was) Tuesday, February 3, 2015, at 2:00 p.m., at the United Methodist Church, Courtland, Kansas. Interment will be (was) in the Caldwell Cemetery, 302 L Road, Formoso, Kansas. Visitation will be (was) Monday, February 2, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Melby Mortuary, 402 N. High Street, Mankato, Kansas. Memorials in honor of Marvin L. Nelson may be given to Solomon Valley Hospice, Beloit, Kansas, or Jewell County Hospital, Mankato, Kansas. Melby Mortuary, Mankato, Kansas was in charge of arrangements.