Marvin H. Evans

TRAVERSE CITY — Marvin Howard Evans, 76, passed away in his sleep early on July 25, 2008, at Bortz Health Care in Traverse City. Howard never quite bounced back from open heart surgery earlier this year, finally giving in to complications from congestive heart failure. He leaves behind a loving family who misses him dearly.

Howard, known to his co-workers as "Marv," was born in Traverse City on July 5, 1932. His parents, Herman and Nora Evans, were living near Bellaire at the time. Howard was the second of 10 children born to Herman and Nora. He attended school in Central Lake.

By age 17, Howard had joined the U.S. Coast Guard. He was stationed on the Great Lakes, where he served proudly on both ice breakers and on Beaver Island, until his discharge in 1952.

In 1956, Howard married Virginia Scharmen. Shortly after, they moved into a house that Howard and Virginia's father built on land outside of Kingsley. There they raised their five children. Virginia preceded him in death on Dec. 29, 2007.

Howard was no stranger to hard work. As a heavy equipment operator for the County, Howard kept busy helping on construction projects for new roads, and keeping existing ones open through harsh Michigan winters.

Longtime Kingsley residents will remember Howard as a top-rate mechanic for many years at Hoeflin's service station in Kingsley. Howard was also a welcome sight to Kingsley families for several years as he arrived with fuel oil deliveries that kept their homes warm during the winter. He also worked in an automobile factory in Pontiac, and in his younger years at a fruit exchange on the Grand Traverse County peninsula.

Howard loved to fish, almost as much as he loved his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed camping, snowmobiling, hunting and outdoor recreation of all kinds. Howard had two boats that he kept in good repair for whenever the chance came to head out onto a nearby lake.

Howard Evans is survived by brothers, Bob and Terry; and sisters, Laura, Lee, Linda, Lois and Lorraine. Howard is also survived by his five children, Mike (Karen), Joy (David Schaller), Dale (Torreya), Dennis (Davlyn), and Mark. He also leaves behind 12 grandchildren, Chad, David Lee, Canaan, Holly, Jennifer, Mary Rose, Natasha Naquin, Nicole, Scott, Shaun, Terri and Tishnakay; and five great-grandchildren, Ally, Ian, Kaleb, Kaylin and Ryan.

Brothers Gerald and Roy preceded Howard in death.

The family will hold a celebration of dad and grandad's life Thursday, Aug. 28, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Sportsman's Club, 6095 Garfield Road, Kingsley. Friends of the family are invited to bring stories and old photographs to share with everyone.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Traverse City Chapel of Covell Funeral Homes.

This obituary was originally published in the Record-Eagle.