He married Sharon Ann Ford on August 22, 1969 in Cairo, Ne. He later told her after their first date he knew she was the one. After getting married they moved to Lawton, Oklahoma where he was in the Army stationed at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma prior to being sent to Vietnam.
He was drafted into the Army in 1969 and served in combat duty in Vietnam and Cambodia during 1970-1971 for 1 year. He was a Sargeant (Section Chief) over a group of men who operated a howitzer. He was shot down in a helicopter 3 times. He was awarded numerous medals including the Bronze Star and the Air Medal. He also attained sharpshooter/marksman status in the Army. He was very skilled at shooting his entire life. He served with the 199th and the 1st Air Calvary.
He attended Hastings Central Community College receiving a degree in Electronics. He went to work for Northwestern Bell (U S West, Qwest) as a splicer and moved up to Central Office Technician and later was the only Davar Tech in outstate Nebraska performing tests on lines moving remotely. He was forced to retire due to illness 25 years later.
He was a Soccer Coach for the Warriors and enjoyed coaching the boys, including his son, on the team for many years and much success including a State Cup. The same boys stayed on his team the entire time he coached 10-12 years. Marv and Sharon loved going to dances together while dating and later as well. Marv and Sharon were on a couples bowling league at one time. He and Sharon loved the ocean. Marv also loved sports – he camped, boated, traveled, hunted, fished (including a few trips to Mexico), snow skied, water skied, bowled, played softball and others. He had a Brittany (Bullet) he would hunt with who became family. He loved spending time at their cabin at Sherman Lake. He was also a farm boy at heart. He spent many years raising calves on their acreage (Van Dyke Land and Cattle) west of Cairo, crops, planting black walnut trees and an orchard from which many still get apples.
He loved life and his family. He was the “life of the party” and liked to tease and pull pranks on his family and friends. He would tell jokes. He and his SIL Janice Neville pulled pranks on each other every April Fool’s Day.
In 2015 he and Sharon moved to Elkhorn, Ne to be closer to their children. He resided at the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home the last few years of his life.
He loved his family who will desperately miss him and he adored being a Grandpa. He is survived by his loving wife of 53 years, Sharon, who will miss him dearly; children daughter Michelle (Randy) Woods of Omaha and son Ryan Van Dyke of Elkhorn; grandchildren Taylor and Skylar Woods, Austin and Luke Van Dyke, Vivienne and Novalee Rowe-Van Dyke, mother Emily Van Dyke of Gering, brothers Dave (Caroline) Van Dyke of Arvada, Colo and Darwin (Julie) Van Dyke of Gering, nieces and nephews, MIL Sally Munsinger of Cairo, Ne, BIL Jim (Louise) Ford of Cairo, Ne and SIL Janice Neville of Broken Bow, Ne. He was preceded in death by his father Donzel, sister Sandy and brothers Donald and Michael.
Memorial services will be Thursday, March 23 at 1:00PM at St. Michael Lutheran Church, 13232 Blondo, Omaha, Nebraska with Pastor Tim Koester officiating. Private burial at the Omaha National Cemetery for family will be held later. Friends and relatives are invited to come prior to the funeral at 12PM to visit with family. In order to honor Marv please dress in red or Nebraska Husker gear.
Braman Mortuary - 72 St. Chapel
1702 N. 72 St.
Omaha, NE 68114
402-391-171
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