Dr. L. Marvin Marion

Dr. L. Marvin Marion, Professor Emeritus, passed away on Saturday, August 11, 2012, in Maryville, MO. He was a native of East Tennessee, born on September 11, 1930. He resided in Maryville, MO. He was preceded in death by Jo Ann Stamm Marion, the love of his life, his sweet wife. Also her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Stamm, his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marion, and an only brother.

He had no living immediate family members; he had some close friends, namely Dr. Justis Ehlers, Nancy Farlow, and many others. He is survived by first cousins in East Tennessee; Mona Beckner, Louise Cook, Jimmy Gordon, Betty Johnson, Jo Ann Marion Marshall, and her sister, Judy Marion.

He received his Bachelor’s degree from Carson Newman College, his Master’s degree from the University of Tennessee and his Doctorate at East Tennessee State University. He taught thirty-five years in public schools. After graduating, he took a position at Missouri Western State College in St. Joseph where he supervised student teachers and taught teacher methods courses. He also taught at Northwest Missouri State University.

He was the former president of St. Joseph International Reading Association (IRA). Jo Ann could not come to the last planning meeting on a Saturday morning, April 8, 1978. She called him at noon, and they met and planned for four hours at a restaurant in St. Joseph, since she was the newly elected president of the IRA. He fell deeply in love with her. They had several dates. She taught at the Horace Mann lab school at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville where she was a professor. When his summer school ended she had one more week at Horace Mann. He drove to Tennessee to visit his dad, and she flew to Knoxville the following Saturday. On Monday, they took a picnic lunch and ate by a stream in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains. After lunch, they drove to the top of Old Smoky where he proposed. They were married October 27, at the First United Methodist Church in Maryville and resided at two different homes until she passed away in April of 2009. He has looked forward ever since to join her for eternity in heaven.

His funeral service will be held at the First United Methodist Church in Maryville at 10:30 AM Saturday, August 18, 2012. The visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church on Saturday. He will be laid to rest next to his wife at the Miriam Cemetery, Maryville, MO.

Services are under the direction of the Bram-Danfelt Funeral Home, 206 E. South Hills Drive, Maryville, MO, 64468.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Mrs. Jo Ann and Dr. Marvin Marion Scholarship fund at Northwest Missouri State University in his memory.

For online condolences and obituary, visit www.bramfuneralhome.com