It is with great sadness that the family of Siegrid (Sissi) Erika Opitz Marvin must say "We'll see you in heaven." as she passed peacefully on the morning of April 9, 2020 after suffering a massive heart attack two days earlier. Sissi was born March 2, 1936 in Hohenstein-Ernstthal, in pre-WWII East Germany. From an early age, she had a love and devotion for animals. In 1957 at the age of 21, Sissi courageously escaped to West Germany just three years before the Berlin wall went up...never to return to her hometown again. In December 1959, she met a handsome U.S. Army SGT named Frank Marvin and the couple was married on March 11, 1960. Sissi couldn't speak English, and Frank knew very little German, but they learned together. Sissi taught herself to speak, read and write English. The couple credited her lack of English to their long marriage. Frank and Sissi welcomed their first child, Pia, on October 15, 1962 in Stuttgart, Germany. Frank received orders for Ft. Hood, TX and they set roots in Killeen, TX in 1963. They welcomed their second daughter, Heide in 1964 and returned to Germany a few years later. Sissi was an active NCO military wife holding every office from Thrift Shop Coordinator to Treasurer to President in the NCO EM Wive's Club in Worms, Germany. Every year, she could be seen as a runway model for the Thrift Shop's annual fashion show. She loved to help others with a passion and mostly, secretively. Upon the family's return to Killeen in 1973, Sissi finally realized her lifelong dream of owning horses. The family became very active in the Killeen Riding and Roping Club and could be found every Saturday for years at the Killeen R&R Club Playdays. Sissi and her daughters were on the horse drill team as well as flag carriers in parades. Sissi was an accomplished seamstress and sewed many Killeen R&R Club vests and chaps. She was always busy. She was an incredible woman! Following Frank's death in 1989, she still maintained a full farm with five horses, a herd of goats, many other animals for many years. Sissi and her family became members of First Baptist Church Killeen in 1981, and they have the assurance that Sissi is in the arms of Jesus. A quote from Sissi's daughter Heide, "Mom taught me that the world was mine, and if I could think it and dream it, I could achieve it. She never put a cap on my brain or my ability to succeed. Mediocre was not in our vocabulary."
Sissi is survived by her two daughters Pia MacDonald (spouse Bruce) of Ringgold, GA, Heide Janshon (spouse Billy) of New Port Richey, FL, fourteen grandchildren who fondly know her as "Omi": Franklin MacDonald (spouse Amanda), Patrick MacDonald, Christopher MacDonald (spouse Cindy), Heike Villalpando (spouse Immanuel), Marie Gorman (spouse Brendan), Benjamin MacDonald (spouse Olivia), Gabriele Mansfield (spouse Myron), Timothy MacDonald, Michael MacDonald, Karianne MacDonald, Tobias MacDonald, Mercedes MacDonald, Titus Janshon, and Alina Janshon; and fourteen great-grandchildren: Evan MacDonald, Braiden MacDonald, Caiden MacDonald, Skyren MacDonald, Naomi MacDonald, Luke MacDonald, Leemae Villalpando, Rosabelle Villalpando, Mason Pendergrass, Tobias Pendergrass, Jaxon Gorman, Patrick Gorman, Maverick MacDonald, and Amelia Mansfield.
The family would like to invite friends to the Viewing of Sissi at Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home in Killeen on Thursday, April 16, 2020 from 6-8pm. Sadly, due to the current state gubernatorial recommendations regarding gatherings, only the family will be able to participate in the funeral and graveside services on Friday, April 17, 2020.
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