Marvin Earl Dillenburg February 3,1933-June 22, 2009
Marvin Earl Dillenburg was born at home in rural Diagonal, Iowa on February 3, 1933 and passed away June 22, 2009 at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa of a heart attack. He was second of 10 children born to Arlo and Ethel (Reynolds) Dillenburg.
Marvin started to school in rural Diagonal and moved with family later to Arispe, Iowa where he graduated with the class of 1951. In 1952 he was drafted into the US Army and served as an assistant machine gunner. Marvin was discharged in 1955.
Farming is what Marvin wanted to do. He worked for different farmers after the service. On December 6, 1956, Marvin was united in marriage to Alice Marie Rinner. In January 1957 he started working for Glen Leason as a farmhand for nine years. When Glen retired, he sold his machinery to Marvin and Alice and they were out on their own. They rented Glen’s farm for a couple of years; then they farmed one year at Kellerton and one year at Diagonal and then five years on Andy Anderson’s farm. They eventually bought the Ray Everling farm where they went into dairying and, at one time, milked over 40 head of cows. Marvin won several awards through D.H.I.A. Milk Company and as an A.S.C.S. committeeman. In 1970 Marvin and Alice adopted four-year-old Teresa Ann, whom Marvin enjoyed helping show dairy calves in 4-H.
In 1985 Marvin suffered a tumor on his pituitary gland and the doctor recommended he leave the farm.
Marvin worked a short time at Mount Ayr Manufacturing and as a security guard at Prairie Meadows in Des Moines. Farm blood prevailed and Marvin helped John Kiburz from time to time on the farm. In 1994 they sold the farm and moved to Mount Ayr. He volunteered to deliver meals for congregate meals for seven years. He truly liked playing cards with his friends at the meal site. He cared very much about the people he delivered to. For over 30 years, Marvin and Alice square danced all over Iowa and Missouri with the Cloverleaf Square Dance Club. He will surely be missed.
Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, Arlo and Ethel; parents-in-law, Lawrence and Nellie Rinner; brothers, Burl, Duane and Robert; brothers-in-law, Fred Rinner and Joe Danels; sister-in-law, Helen Dillenburg; two nieces and one nephew.
He leaves to mourn his passing his wife, Alice Dillenburg of Mount Ayr, Iowa; daughter Teresa Ann Dillenburg of Creston, Iowa; one brother, Jim Dillenburg of Omaha, Nebraska; five sisters, Donna (Kenneth) Howell of Altoona, Iowa, Verna (Bob) Martin of Mount Ayr, Iowa, Janis Danels of Ottumwa, Iowa, Mary Ellen Dillenburg of Mount Ayr, Iowa and Lois (Harold) Baker of Keosauqua, Iowa; brothers-in-law, George Rinner of Greenfield, Iowa, Charles (Ellen) Rinner of Creston, Iowa and Ronnie (Laurel) Rinner of Yale, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Mary Etta Dillenburg of Fremont, Nebraska, Jeanne (Bill) Thompson of Dacono, Colorado, Nita (George) Spencer of Lorimor, Iowa and Betty Dillenburg of Ohio, and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Services were conducted at Watson-Armstrong Funeral Home in Mount Ayr on Saturday, June 27, 2009 with Rev. Dan Fernandez officiating. Musicians were Faith Shinkle, Carol Ann McCreary and Barbie Belzer.
Casket bearers were Chris Rinner, Gregg Baker, Terry McKinney, Gene Glick, Mike Howell and Scott Rinner.
Military rites were conducted by Ringgold Post #172 American Legion.
Marvin was laid at rest in the Rose Hill Cemetery, Mount Ayr.
