Marvin Eugene Gruesen

Following his graduation from Austin High School in 1942, he spent time working as a welder for Brown and Root in the Houston area. He answered the call of his nation and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on September 9, 1943 in San Antonio, Texas, proudly serving on both active, reserve and inactive duty until October 31, 1952. His military service took him around the world, to include Okinawa, Japan, where he was among the initial wave of Marines to land on the island. He helped establish a runway and airport while fighting was still going on and served as an aircraft mechanic. Additionally, he was posted on mainland Japan, the Marshall Islands, Shanghai, China, and served during the Korean War. He concluded his military service with time spent in the United States Army Reserves at Camp Mabry in Austin from January 1964 until September 1966 as a supply specialist.

Marvin devoted his life to public service: he worked as the fleet manager for the Austin Fire Department as well as the Austin Police Department. Additionally, Marvin served as a Volunteer Reserve Deputy Sheriff for Travis County for 23 years. A large amount of his time was spent managing the firing range and serving as a firearms instructor. The men and women he met during his time working there had a profound impact on him as a man, a patriot, and a public servant. Words are inadequate to express how proud he was to be a part of that organization and what it meant in his life.

During his time in the Marine Corps, he met and married Annie Lou Howell on March 4,1951 and had three children: Donna, Marvin Glenn and Nathaniel. Marvin and Annie Lou were married for 50 wonderful years, until Annie Lou passed away in November 2001.

Marvin is preceded in death by his first wife, Annie Lou Gruesen, and his children Marvin Glenn Gruesen, John Ray Ragland, and Vickie Ragland Lebow, as well as his sister Dorothy Roos.

He is survived by his sister Laverne Doering and her husband Gus, and their four children; his daughter Donna and her husband Chris Munson of Austin, and their three children: Shelley and husband Lieutenant Colonel Scott Hazy of Fort Drum, New York, Clayton Munson of Austin, and Erin and husband Gabriel Valencia of San Antonio, as well as his great-grandsons Shepherd and Henry Hazy; his son Nathaniel Gruesen of Houston and grandson Nick Gruesen of Corpus Christi; his wife Carmen Gruesen of Austin and her sons Gordy Martin, Joe Martin and his son, and Dan Martin and wife Teresa and their two children.

Funeral services are as follows: Visitation will be held Thursday, December 12 from 6:00pm-8:00pm and Friday, December 13 from 12:00pm-1:00pm at Weed Corley Fish Funeral Homes on 2620 South Congress Avenue, Austin, Texas, 78704.

Funeral service begins at 1:00pm, immediately after the final viewing at Weed Corley Fish.

Internment with military honors will follow immediately after the funeral service at Salem Lutheran Church Cemetery, located at 9322 F.M. 812, Austin, Texas, 78719.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to one of the following organizations that were special to Marvin: Travis County Sheriff’s Law Enforcement Association SMBS (Sherriff’s Memorial and Benevolent Society), Brown Santa, Spina Bifida Association or Meals on Wheels.