Marvin James Struik was born July 9, 1941 on the home place in Jasper County, Iowa. He was the fourth of six children and only son born to Hubert and Hendrika (Van Norden) Struik.

Marv grew up on a farm, working side by side with his parents and sisters. At an early age he learned the value of hard work and perseverance. He and his family had a strong faith in God and it was during those early years on the farm that he strengthened his faith in the Lord.

He attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated with the class of 1959 from Newton High School. In Sept. of 1959 at a church youth roller skating party, Marv met Loretta Westerkamp, they began dating, and on September 19, 1961 they were married. They had 57 incredibly happy years together filled with love and devotion. To this marriage they were blessed with three children Kenton Lee, Kurtis Leroy, and Kathy LeAnn (Schmid).

After high school, Marv worked for the Coast to Coast stores in Newton, Iowa. In 1965, he had the opportunity to become a management trainee with AT&T in Des Moines, Iowa and this began his career working for AT&T. He was later transferred to the Kansas City, Missouri facility where he worked for 15 years as an IT manager. In 1984, he accepted a promotion to Mesa, Arizona where he was asked to assist in the building of a new data center. After its completion, he became the manager for an adjacent billing center at the Mesa Complex where he worked until retirement.

Upon retirement, Marv and Loretta purchased farm land near Agra, Kansas and moved there to be close to their daughter and family. Over the years Marv made many improvements to the land including building the home that he designed and lived in until his passing.

While Marv was a problem solver, advice-giver, mechanic, builder, storyteller, reader, learner, listener, jokester, and so much more, above all else, he was a loving husband and family man. His kids and grandkids remember him attending every sporting event, school and church event, and being a part of each holiday, birthday, special event, and celebrating their milestones. He was a nurturing dad and papa. He had a soft spot for his grandkids and great grandkids. He wanted love and hugs at every goodbye.

If you were to ask his family or anyone who knew him, they would tell you he was "the smartest guy they had ever known." Marv was a self-educated man and knew a lot about a lot of things. He was a reader. He read about everything, and never forgot any of it. Everyone he met was impressed by him. They were impressed by his humble way of being knowledgeable, kind, and truthful. He was an advice giver and had the gift of discernment.

His opinions and advice were valued by family and friends, because they came from his life experience and know-how. He would say, "I can give you my opinion, but I don't know if you want to hear it." When you replied "yes", he would pause briefly and give his opinion. When he talked, you listened. He knew how things worked and was an expert at reading people. He had an uncanny intuition, knowing how things were going to go before they ever happened.

There were many family meals that usually ended with him telling funny stories. They weren't really stories as much as experiences, memories, observations, and life lessons from his past.

Marv had many life-long friends and he made it a priority to stay in touch with them because he valued their friendships. He invested his time into those friendships by vacationing with them, traveling to see them, and of course talking with them regularly on the phone.

On April 13, 2019 Marv passed away peacefully at home after a five-year battle with lung cancer. He was a brave man, never feeling sorry for himself, never complained, and accepted the path God had laid out for him. He shared, often, that he was not afraid of dying, for he knew heaven was where his soul was going.

He is survived by his wife, Loretta, of 57 years; their son Kent and daughter-in-law Shannon (Eckels) Struik and their three children, Benjamin, Andrew, and Rachael of Iowa; their son Kurt Struik from Mesa, Az; daughter Kathy (Struik) and son-in-law Randy Schmid of Kensington, Kansas; granddaughter, Ashley (Schmid) Schilowsky and husband Josh, and great grandchildren Ty, Tru, Tayslee, and Tillmyn of Phillipsburg, KS; granddaughter, Amber (Schmid) Kindler and her husband Jay of rural Phillipsburg, KS.

Sister, Linda (Struik) and brother-in-law Loren Vande Lune of Pella, IA; sister, Carol (Struik) and brother-in-law Ben Van Zee of Ankeny, IA; and sister, Phyllis (Struik) and brother-in-law Dave Vander Pol of Pella, IA; brother-in-law, Lowell Vande Lune of Pella, Iowa and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Hubert and Hendrika (Van Norden) Struik, sister Helen (Struik) and brother-in-law Maurice Groenendyk, and sister Lois (Struik) Vande Lune.

Funeral services will be held Friday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. in the Heartland Worship Center, Agra, with Pastors Lorna Paulus & Becky Saddler officiating.  Burial will follow in the Agra Cemetery.

Visitation will be from noon to 9:00 Wednesday at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg.  The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 Thursday at the Heartland Worship Center.

Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Services or the Agra Fire Dept.