Marvin Elwood Edgett

April 5, 1931 - Oct. 12, 2021

Marvin Elwood Edgett of Happy Valley, Ore., passed away Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, at the age of 90. Marv was born April 5, 1931, in Salem, Ore., to Isabelle and Charles Edgett. His family later moved to Portland where Marv graduated from Jefferson High School in 1949.

After serving in the Navy, Marv attended what was then Portland State College. On Dec. 11, 1953, at the age of 22, he married Leonona "Marie" Beckman and together they raised four children. Marv worked for Pacific Northwest Bell where he was hired as a Yellow Pages Salesman. A promotion to Sales Manager in Seattle, required moving to Washington where he settled his young family in Bellevue. Marv had lots of hobbies and talents but his favorite was skiing. Marv had fallen in love with skiing as a young man, driving up to the mountain in a little car with a sunroof which he left open to allow his skis to stick out through the roof. He later shared his love of the sport with his four children, all of whom he taught to ski. He would sometimes get home from work, load the family up in the car and take them to Hyak at Snoqualmie Pass for night skiing. For spring vacation he would take the family to Bend. The first trip is remembered as a fiasco. Recommended by a friend, their motel could have passed for the setting of a horror film as daughter Mary recalls. With its fake wood paneling, cheap bedspreads and worn carpets, it was reminiscent of the motel on Schitt's Creek minus the charm.

Marv was creative. He was an excellent woodworker and an amazing cook. He loved to travel and have adventures. Marv was funny but he liked telling really awful jokes. And next to skiing, his very favorite thing in the world was eating ice cream. Garlic flavor was next on his list. Two years after retiring, Marv's plans for the future drastically changed. In 1992 he was bitten by a yellow jacket and went into anaphylactic shock. EMTs revived him but he spent three days in a coma. When he finally awoke, he had lost much of his short-term memory and had to relearn all activities of daily living. After five months of intensive therapy, he was allowed to return home. The plan had always been to return to Portland and in 1994 he moved back with his wife Carolyn. They had married Aug. 18, 1978. Marv later developed dementia and Parkinson's symptoms along with some heart issues. His mobility and speech became limited but through it all, Marv maintained his positive spirit and love of life.

Marv was predeceased by his parents; his older brother, Charles; and younger brother, Orren. He is survived by his sister, Darlene Sanman (Rodger); his wife of 43 years, Carolyn (Currie) Edgett; and children, Michael Edgett (Pam Bair), Mary Oakley (Jack), Melissa Edgett (Barry Butler) and Marcy Lindeke. He is also survived by nephew, Wayne Sanman (Susan); nieces, Wendy Sanman (Ed Higgins) and Jill Bender (Rob); as well as seven grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research which can be found at this link: https://www.michaeljfox.org/donate