On Wednesday, July 22nd, 2015, Marvin McGill ate dinner, sat down in his favorite chair, turned on a Mariners game and went to sleep. He took a very long nap before finally succumbing to a series of health problems. He passed away on Tuesday, July 28th, 2015 at the age of 85 in Cottage in the Meadow in Yakima. He was born on May 11th, 1930 to Lavain and Blanche McGill in Verdel, Nebraska.
Dad had many stories about his childhood and he grew up in very tough times. He loved to tell the story of walking to the one-room schoolhouse he attended, chasing down a skunk, getting sprayed and still going to school only to be sent home immediately by the teacher. He served in the United States Air Force from 1947 to 1951. He met his beautiful bride, Una Fay Clark, while working with her brothers and father on the family farm they operated near Mabton, Washington. They were married June 6th, 1953.
Dad had a long career working in the food industry. He primarily worked as a receiving warehouseman at Continental Foods, PDQ and Noel Foods in Yakima. He was a member of the Teamsters Union since 1955. He loved to fish up until he had a boating accident and lost all of his fishing gear and nearly his life. He was an avid hunter and especially enjoyed hunting pheasant and chukar. During hunting season he would often go out before work and get his limit which was also dinner that night. He had fond memories of his favorite hunting dogs that accompanied him. He also hunted big game with his brothers-in-law and kept the family freezer full of deer, elk and even moose. He usually went all out with his interests and since he had horses, he attended classes to learn to shoe them. He did all the mechanical repairs on his cars and attended classes at JM Perry to also learn auto body repair. After his retirement, he stopped hunting and enjoyed taking short trips around the state, and playing pool. He was a force to be reckoned with around the billiards table. He attended many of his grandchildren’s events as they grew up. He was a big East Valley sports fan and even made his own homemade EV hat to attend his grandkids’ games. In his later years his favorite hobby was metal detecting. He found many treasures over the years and thousands of coins with his detector. He was asked by friends to find things they had lost or buried and he was usually successful at finding the things for them. In Franklin Park he was out with his detector and a young couple came up to him to ask for his help. The woman had lost her engagement ring. Dad searched the area they had been in and found her ring. She was so happy she kissed him. He also spent countless hours working in his yard and enjoyed sitting on his patio admiring the flowers and watching wildlife. He enjoyed going out to breakfast each morning and had his favorite restaurant he would always go to. Mostly he enjoyed family dinners and his son in law Gene’s barbequed steak and chicken.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Una Fay, and his sister Bonnie Findley. He is survived by his daughter Barbara Lee Carr (Tom Mustain), his son Casey (Mary) McGill, and who he referred to as “My Guardian Angel,” his daughter Julia (Judy) and husband Gene Newland. He is also survived by his sisters Audrey (Glen) Williams, Elaine Boday, and his twin brother Melvin (Donna) McGill, his grandchildren, Ted Smith, Wendy Smith, Jason Newland, Jennifer Schultz, Mylisa McGill, one great grandchild, Nolan Smith, many nieces, nephews, and his good friend Wanda Wilmoth.
Funeral Services will be 2:00 p.m., Monday, August 3rd, 2015 at Langevin El Paraiso Funeral Home. Interment will be held at Terrace Heights Memorial Park. To share a memory of Marvin visit www.lepfuneralhome.com.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18