Marvin Martensen

MARVIN (MARTY) MARTENSEN

Monticello

Marvin (Marty) Martensen, 71, died Saturday, Nov. 5, 2016, at Jones Regional Medical Center following a sudden illness. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church, rural Monticello, with interment in Wayne Zion Cemetery. Friends may call after 4 p.m. Thursday at Goettsch Funeral Home, Monticello, and after 10 a.m. Friday at the church. Thoughts, memories and condolences may be left at www.goettschonline.com. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Camp Courageous or the family.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon; four children, Victoria (Kyle) Tapken, Monticello, Travis (Jean), Norway, Trevor (Emily), Monticello, and Daniel (Lisa), Surprise, Ariz.; a stepdaughter, Stephanie (Tom) Schmadeke, Cypress, Texas; seven grandchildren, Presley, Nash, Grace, Ethan, Evan, Lillianna and Tristan; six stepgrandchildren, Tiffany, Amy, Matthew, Dennis, Reese and Marin; seven great-grandchildren; four brothers, Dean (Millie) of Salt Lake City, Utah, Virgil (Mary), Olin, Allen, Anamosa, and Larry (Linda) of Martelle; three sisters, Carol (Andy) Anders of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Beverly (Jim) Dieken and Janice (Larry) Oetken, both of Greeley, Colo.; and three sisters-in-law, Donna Martensen and Mary Ann Dunkel, both of Anamosa, and Janice Martensen of Las Vegas, Nev.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Anna Martensen; and three brothers, Harold, Carl and John.

Marvin Lee Martensen was born Jan. 11, 1945, at Anamosa, Iowa. He was the son of John P. and Anna Dirks Martensen. Marvin started school at the Grant Wood #2 school near Anamosa and then at Frog Hollow near Langworthy before graduating from Monticello High School in 1962. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. Marty married Brenda Joyce Campbell on March 5, 1967, in Austin, Texas. The couple moved back to Iowa and purchased their farm in Wayne Township, Jones County, Iowa.

Marty also was involved in the printing business most of his adult life. He learned about printing while in the Air Force and then worked for over 30 years at Regency Thermographers in Dubuque. Marvin and Brenda started their own business, Lone Star Printing, in 1987. Brenda preceded him in death on May 10, 2000.

Marty and Sharon Miller Ehlert were married on Sept. 1, 2007, at Wayne Zion Lutheran Church. When not working on the farm or at the printing business, they enjoyed traveling and being with friends and family. The highlight of all their travels was an African safari in 2013. Marty was a member of the Monticello Lions Club and the Anamosa American Legion, Arthur McCullough Post 13. Marty really enjoyed just being outdoors, hunting, fishing and camping, and working on the farm.