Rev. Marvin L. Ehnen

Rev. Marvin L. Ehnen

Cedar Rapids

Rev. Marvin L. Ehnen, 85, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Thursday, Nov. 17, 2022, at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids. Memorial Service: 3 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, 2023, at St Mark’s Lutheran Church in Marion, Iowa. Visitation: 1 to 3 p.m. prior to services at the church.

Marvin Leon, the son of Roland and Viola “Minnie” (Saathoff) Ehnen, was born May 22, 1937, at the family farmhouse outside of Wymore, Neb. He graduated from Barnston High School in 1955, where he played football. He was a lifelong Nebraska Cornhuskers fan, who also enjoyed following both the Iowa State Cyclones and the Iowa Hawkeyes. After high school, Marvin worked for two years saving for college before going to Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. It was at Wartburg where he met the

love of his life, Barbara Ann Clasen. They were united in marriage on July 24, 1960, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Lakefield, Wis. After graduating, Marvin continued his calling by completing a Master of Divinity from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa, where they had their first child, Mark.

The Reverend Ehnen served the Lutheran Church as an Ordained Minister for 25 years. After Seminary, the young couple followed his calling to rural Nebraska, where their second child, Cathy, was born. Their next parish was in West Branch, Iowa, followed by a move to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in 1973. Marvin was a devoted and well-loved pastor to many throughout his 17-year tenure at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. For the next 15 years, Marvin served as Director of Pastoral Services at the Good Samaritan Society in Davenport, Iowa.

After retiring, Marvin and Barbara moved back to Cedar Rapids to be close to family and longtime friends. Marvin and Barbara enjoyed going to auctions, where he often bought lawn mowers and snow blowers, which he repaired and sold. He loved restoring and driving two antique Model N Ford tractors, continuing his love for internal combustion engines. He went on many tractor rides with his friends in the Two Cylinder Club. As Barbara’s health failed, Marvin diligently cared for her for many years until she passed in January of this year.

Marvin was a devoted and loving husband to Barbara for more than 60 years. He loved dogs and shared much of his life in the company of Man’s Best Friend. He loved playing cards with family and friends, especially playing “Pitch.” He was always up for a game of cribbage, and won more than he lost. He was an excellent role model to his children, and a much-loved “Papa” to his grandchildren. He was blessed with many caring relatives, friends and neighbors.

Marvin is survived by his children, Mark (Denise) Ehnen of Roseville, Calif.; Cathy Ehnen of Cedar Rapids; four grandchildren, Joseph Warkel, Scott Ehnen, Grace Ehnen and Sean Ehnen; sister, Carol Behrends of Lincoln, Neb.; three sisters-in-law, Judy LaPean of Wisconsin, Debbie Arps and Ginger Schneider, both of Florida; his beloved grand-dog, Shiloh; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Barbara; his sister Eleanor; and his brother-in-law Jerald.

Marvin was diagnosed with cancer a few months after his wife Barbara passed. Ultimately, it was a respiratory infection that took Marvin from us.

Please share your support and memories with Marvin’s family on his tribute wall at www.stewartbaxter.com under obituaries.