Marvin Richard Wilson, 61, of Sweet Home, Oregon passed away unexpectedly on Thursday following a heart attack at the Portland VA Hospital. Marvin started life in Toledo on May 20, 1952. He was the third child of Homer and Bernice Wilson.

He attended elementary school in Toledo. His family relocated to the Lebanon/Berlin area in 1964. He completed elementary school at Hamilton Creek School in 1966. He graduated from Lebanon Union High School in 1970.

In the summer of 1973, Marvin joined the United States Army. He went to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and attended special training in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. During his time in the service, Marvin was stationed in Augsburg, Germany and spent time in Tehran, Iran. While in Germany, Marvin taught himself to play classical guitar and immersed himself in learning the German language and culture. Marvin left the service in 1979.

Soon after the service, he began school at Linn-Benton Community College, then transferred to Oregon State University where he studied mathematics and German. In 1985, Marvin graduated with high scholarship earning both a BS and BA in mathematics and a minor in German.

1985 was a very busy years for Marvin; he married Jan Hufford and welcomed his first child in the fall.

Marvin was not an idle man; he was jack-of-all-trades and held a variety of positions including: working on the family farm as a cryptologist during the Vietnam War; repairing logging equipment for his uncle Ellis’ logging company; being the set designer and construction engineer for the East Linn Community Theater; teaching freshman business mathematics while at OSU; and his favorite, solving problems as a technician at Hewlett Packard in Corvallis.

Marvin was instrumental in the rebuilding and operating of the Cedar Shack in Sweet Home. As an avid member of the American Legion, he was the Commander for Timber City Post #133 in Sweet Home and Adjutant for District 3.

Marvin enjoyed many interests and hobbies, not limited to: playing classical guitar; working the daily Sudoku; programming computers; and tinkering with machines.

Marvin is survived by: his wife of 29 years, Jan Hufford; children Annamarie (Wilson) and husband Christofer Mattox, Alexander and wife Bethany (Middleton) Wilson, Brittany Wilson, and Cheryl Wilson; grandchildren Gabriel Wilson (with whom he shared a birthday), Jonah Wilson, and Adalynn Wilson; and older brothers Dennis Wilson and Duane and wife MaryEllen Wilson.

He was preceded in death by: his father, Homer Wilson in 1978; mother Bernice (Mills) Wilson in 1999; and his maternal grandmother, Helen Mills.

A memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, May 4, 2014 at the Cedar Shack in Sweet Home.

Memorial contributions can be made in Marvin’s name to the Sweet Home American Legion, in care of Sweet Home Funeral Chapel 1443 Long Street, Sweet Home, Oregon 97386.

Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling the arrangements.