Posted: Thursday, September 4, 2008 12:00 am
June 13, 1918 - Sept. 2, 2008
Marvin Francis Carlson, 90, died peacefully Tuesday at home after a brief bout with lung cancer.
Marvin was born in Whitehall, Mont., the fifth of 11 children. He grew up during the Depression and had many stories of the hardships of the period. One of his favorite stories was about the year the railroad company parked a full coal car on a siding in Whitehall. When they finally moved that coal car in the spring the car was empty, but the people of Whitehall had been warm enough that winter not to suffer.
During World War II, Marvin was not eligible for military service but he volunteered to help with the rebuilding of Pearl Harbor, where he spent 14 months.
Marvin married Dorothy Cowgill on Feb. 24, 1946, and spent the next 62 years telling the world what a lucky man he was that Dorothy had chosen to be with him.
Marvin was a gregarious outgoing man who never stopped talking to people he just met. He loved to drive cars and trucks. He spent 18 years driving a log truck in western Oregon. In 1958, Marvin built the Periwinkle Mobile Home Park with his own hands. The family lived at Periwinkle Park until 1972.
In 1972, he and Dorothy semi-retired and lived in North Albany for five years, then Bend until they decided to move back to the valley and settle in Salem to be closer to their children.
Marvin is survived by Dorothy and their son Lon and daughter June. He is remembered by his daughter-in-law Nina; son-in-law Andy; granddaughter Molly; grandson Brett; granddaughter-in-law Jen; and great-granddaughter Amy Nicole.
A memorial service will be at 1:30 p.m. today at the dining room of Gibson Creek Assisted Living, 1615 Brush College Road N.W., Salem, OR 97304. A potluck reception will follow.
Remembrances should be directed to The Oregon Hospice Association, 812 S.W. 10th Ave. No. 204, Portland, OR 97205.