Marvin H Klassen

Funeral Services for Marvin H. "Marv" Klassen will be held on Monday, February 13, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Nora Mendyk officiating. Interment will be held at Prairie Home Cemetery at Holdrege with military honors provided by Martin-Horn American Legion Post #66 in conjunction with the U.S. Army Military Honors Team.

Marvin H. "Marv" Klassen, 82 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Wednesday, February 8, 2017 at Holdrege Memorial Homes. Marvin was born on November 24, 1934 at Henderson, Nebraska the second child to Henry H. and Eva (Bier) Klassen. He attended grade school in Henderson and graduated from Henderson High School with the class of 1952.

He accepted Christ as his personal Savior and was baptized June 1, 1952 and became a member of the Bethesda Mennonite Church at Henderson, Nebraska. He later transferred his membership to the Methodist Church of Atlanta, Nebraska and the First United Methodist Church of Holdrege.

Marv served his country in the United States Army in 1957 and was called up again during the Berlin Crisis in 1961. He received his honorable discharge from the service on December 31, 1962.

On January 12, 1958, he was united in marriage to Carolyn Anne David and to this union one daughter, Rebecca Jayne was born.

Before moving to Holdrege, Marv was employed by Steingard Schmidt Irrigation of Henderson, drilling irrigation wells. For 22 years, Marv was employed by Gamble Robinson Wholesale as a salesman in southern Nebraska and northern Kansas, and as a manager for the Holdrege branch. When Gamble Robinson closed, he sold for the Van Diest Company out of Prairie View, Kansas, serving his same customers. In 1982, he was employed by Cash-Wa Distributing of Kearney, Nebraska as a salesman until his retirement in 2000. He received the 1991 Salesman of the Year Award for the Nebraska Association of Tobacco and Candy Distributers. In his retirement years, he did house painting and yard work with Warner Carlson.

Marv had a wonderful work ethic and took great pride in his work, always striving to do his part, and being able to say, "well done."

As a young man, Marv enjoyed auto racing and did sprint car racing and demolition derbys.

Marv taught high school youth Sunday school, served as church usher, and coached girls softball. He was an avid sports fan and enjoyed Nebraska football, basketball (both girls and boys) and the Nebraska girls volleyball. In his retirement years, Marv also enjoyed volunteering at the Nebraska Prairie Museum.

He had a deep love for his family and his pets. His pride and joy was his grandson, J.D. and his three great-grandchildren.

Marv was preceded in death by his parents: Henry and Eva Klassen; his sister, Esther Schritter and her husband, Jake; brothers: Henry Klassen and Pete Klassen; a special uncle and aunt: Peter and Marie Ratzlaff; father-in-law and mother-in-law: Virgil and Helen David.

He leaves to celebrate his life, his wife, Carolyn Klassen of Holdrege; daughter, Jayne Ortgiesen and her husband, Larry of Atlanta, Nebraska; grandson, James David Ortgiesen and his wife, Noelle of Atlanta; three-great-grandchildren: Taya, Race and Link Ortgiesen of Atlanta; sister-in-law, Betty Klassen of Sun Lakes Arizona and a host of other relatives and friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 12, 2017 from 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Marv's honor and will be designated at a later date.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com

The Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege is in charge of the arrangements.