Marvin Wesley Bartel, age 90, went to his heavenly home on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at the Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point. Marvin was born on January 18, 1923 on the family homestead north of Wolf Point to Cornelius and Martha (Schroeder) Bartel.
When he was five years old, he and his twin brother, Monroe, started first grade at the Pioneer School 2 miles east of the farm. The twins only spoke German before attending school. They went to school with their older siblings either by riding horse, walking, or on the horse-drawn sled in the winter months. He continued his education there through the eighth grade and then started high school in Wolf Point. He boarded in town during the week and in the winter months, sometimes staying with his brother, Clarence and his family or his sister, Hilda and her family. He drove back and forth to school in a Model A coupe in later high school years. He graduated from Wolf Point High School in the class of 1941, which included 5 other sets of twins.
The ‘boys’ then returned to the farm and bought it from their parents in 1948. On June 4, 1950 Marvin married Janice Gunn in a double wedding ceremony with his twin, Monroe and his bride, Wilma Isle. They all lived together on the family farm until they bought the Earl Maltby place two miles south and Marvin and Janice moved there and were blessed with three children. Janice died of cancer in January 1988 and Marvin married Lila Toavs Schmidt in December of 1989. Lila died of cancer in March of 2005.
Marvin lived for 82 years on the farm until he moved to the Harada House east of Wolf Point due to declining health. He later moved to the Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point.
Marvin was a lifetime member of the Bethel Mennonite Church where he accepted the Lord as his Savior and was baptized by Rev. Albert Ewert. He served on the church board, building committee and as a Sunday School teacher for many years. He also served on the Wolf Point School Board for 14 years, 9 of those years serving as chairman and on the Montana State School Board for 6 years with one year serving as chairman of that board. Other areas where he served in the community were as the Roosevelt County Farm Board president, Eastern Montana director for the Mennonite Disaster Service and as an insurance adjustor for Mennonite Insurance.
Marvin was an avid reader, especially enjoying Montana history books and keeping up with all the latest political and farm issues by reading the daily paper. He also enjoyed visits, phone calls, and letters from his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Preceding him were his parents; an infant brother, James; a brother, Clarence; 2 sisters, Hilda Laubach and Evelyn Lentzner; 2 infant sons; and 2 spouses.
Surviving are a son, Rodney (Carma) of Wolf Point; 2 daughters, Meredith (Dan) Reddig of Luster, and Wendy (Ken) Higley of Flower Mound, TX; eight grandchildren, Carly (Michael) Klessens of Phoenix, AZ, Camille (Josh) Pearson of Billings, MT, Cade Reddig of Chandler, AZ, Jan Bartel of Roseville, MN and Lindlee Bartel of Bozeman, MT, Tylan Higley of Lloyedminster, Alberta, Canada, Kyle Higley and Karissa Higley of Flower Mound; five great-grandchildren, Sophia and Brayden Klessens and Ellyanna, Garrison and Lincoln Pearson; his twin brother, Monroe (Wilma) of Wolf Point; and many nieces and nephews.
Viewing will be held from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. Monday, October 28 at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point. Interment will be held 1p.m. Tuesday, October 29 at the Bethel Wolf Point Mennonite Cemetery North of Wolf Point. A funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, October 29 at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point. If friends desire memorials may be made to the Wolf Point 100 club or a charity of your choice.
Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point has been entrusted with the arrangements. Condolences can be sent to the family using the form below.