I recently returned from attending a Memorial Service honoring the life and faith of Marv Martin. It was a beautiful service with the overhead pictures showing how he lived, a man who liked to have fun but had a serious side too. He was a man who cared for everyone and everyone was his friend.

I looked over the crowd gathered in the church and I thought, There are people here from every age including little children who, I imagine, have good memories like my own did when they were little. He did love children. He had only two of them, Debbie, with his first wife Faythe, and Mark, with his second wife, Ardis. He has also welcomed grandchildren and of course every child he met.

There were 15 people at that service, that I counted anyway, that knew and loved Marv from way back in Wisconsin when he was married to his first wife. Most of them called him “Uncle Marv.” I called him my brother-in-law because Faythe was my sister. He cared for all of us and it didn’t matter whether we were related or not.

I remember when he taught my little son to walk. He would hold something in his hand. Like a toy or some sweet thing he could eat, and he’d say, “You walk over to me and I’ll give you this, Ronnie”. Ronnie took one or two steps and then got down on all fours and creep over to Marv. After all, that was faster. Marv would say, “No, you can’t have this until you walk to me.” He did this several times and finally walked all the way. That was Marv. He took all the time needed even if he had other things to do.

Maybe we should learn something from this man, Marvin Martin.