Marvin Slette

Marvin Slette, age 93, of Mahnomen, MN, died on Saturday, September 30, 2023, at the Mahnomen Health Center Nursing Home under the loving care of his family and Hospice of the Red River Valley.
Marvin Lloyd Slette was born at home in Norman County on June 9, 1930, to Leonard and Mabel (Kindseth) Slette. He attended country school and graduated from Mahnomen High School with the Class of 1948. As a young man, Marvin worked as a farmhand until he entered the United States Navy in 1952. While serving in the Navy, Marvin worked as an airplane engine mechanic and proudly sang with the traveling Navy Choir. Due to family hardship, he was honorably discharged in 1954, and returned home to help on the family farm. On April 7, 1956, Marvin was united in marriage to the love of his life, Helen Hamernik, at Walworth Baptist Church, Flom, MN. The young couple took over the Slette Family Farm, where they raised small grains and tended to a dairy herd. Marvin and Helen were blessed with six children and many wonderful years together on the farm. After a recent diagnosis of Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, he had made his home at the Mahnomen Health Center since July and Helen remains in their home.
Compassionate, hardworking, appreciative, and lifelong learner are all characteristics of Marvin. Despite having any further education, he continued to learn each and every day, expanding his vast array of knowledge on many things from simple ideas to complex equations. He thoroughly enjoyed learning about the universe, history and Lewis and Clark, to name a few. Growing up during the depression years, Marvin saw the beauty in everything and treasured and appreciated the simpler things in life, like the true beauty of being in the woods or living near the Wild Rice River. Marvin had many hobbies that kept him busy. He liked motorcycling, snowmobiling, camping, fishing, hunting, trapping and being in the woods. He had great carpentry skills and even had his own home sawmill that milled many boards that turned into projects he completed like the buildings on the farm and wooden sleds for his children. Marvin had a great sense of humor and always a twinkle in his eyes. He also liked to go to the casino, mostly to socialize as nothing could beat a conversation over a cup of coffee with friends and strangers alike. He enjoyed taking photos, all types of music and over the years, singing at many funerals. Marvin served several years on the Mahnomen Harvest States Board and the Pembina Township Board in addition to being very active with First Lutheran Church. Above all, Marvin loved his family and had great faith in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, both which were evident in his day-to-day life. He lovingly shared and passed on many of his genuine qualities and attributes to his children and grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to know him.
Marvin is survived by his wife of 67 years, Helen, of Mahnomen; children: Renae (Mike) LaChapelle of Mahnomen, Loren (Patti) Slette of Duluth, MN, Jerome "Joe" (Casey) Slette of Mahnomen, Lavon (Dan) Cook also of Mahnomen, Darrel (Kristen) Slette of Hawley, MN, and Bruce (Beth) Slette of Fargo, ND; 11 grandchildren: Jacob (Kylie) Slette, Kaitlin Slette, Carolyn Pavlish, Joseph Slette, Kayla Slette, Andrew (Hannah) Slette, Michael Slette, Rudy Slette, Thomas Slette, Maria (Kristian) Rue and Sophia Slette; two great-grandchildren, Rio Slette and Everlen Slette; one sister, Olive Krebsbach of Mahnomen and many extended relatives of Helen's. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister and brother-in-law, Theodora and Bill Klemetson; brother-in-law, Delmar Krebsbach three nephews: David Krebsbach, Lynn Klemetson and Andy Klemetson; and niece, Linda Walstrom.
Blessed be the memory of Marvin Lloyd Slette.
A Funeral Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 6, 2023, at the First Lutheran Church in Mahnomen. Visitation will be held Thursday, October 5, 2023 from 5:00-7:00 pm at Anderson Family Funeral Home in Mahnomen and continue one hour prior to the Funeral at the church. Burial will take place at First Lutheran Cemetery, Mahnomen.
In lieu of flowers, memorials preferred to Hospice of the Red River Valley or Disabled American Veterans.