Marvin Eugene Emmert, 85, of Sweet Home, died Dec. 10, 2021, in Albany at Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House.
He was born Dec. 20, 1935 in Molalla, the son of Floyd and Grace (Burkholder) Emmert.
The family moved to Sweet Home in 1938 where his father and uncles started Emmert Brothers Road Construction.
Mr. Emmert’s primary school years were in Sweet Home. He attended Western Mennonite School in Salem for high school.
Choosing Hesston College in Kansas began a new life course, as this is where he meant his future wife, Mabel Hershberger. The next step took them both to Goshen College in Indiana where he soon proposed and they were married in 1957.
Their first son Arlen was born in December 1958. Marvin served his 1-W Alternate Service at a hospital in Elkhart, Ind., while Mrs. Emmert attended college. In June of 1959, as soon as they both had finished, they moved to Sweet Home.
Mr. Emmert started working for Emmert Brothers Road Construction, and they lived at various jobs in their little trailer they’d brought from Indiana. In 1960 they bought a house in Sweet Home to settle in and raise a family. Cheryl, Sandra and Scott were soon added to the family.
Mr. Emmert spent some time logging and driving truck, which then led to him buying his own log truck. He drove truck until a near-fatal accident on a landing in 1969 forced him to give it up.
After a long recuperation, he finished his schooling and received a business degree from Linn-Benton Community College. This led to a position as patient accounts manager at Lebanon Community Hospital, where he worked until retirement.
Mr. Emmert loved hunting, fishing and camping. His love of hunting started with his father and brother and was passed down to his sons and grandsons. The family also enjoyed many, many camping trips together. Later, in their retirement years, Mr. and Mrs. Emmert would take the grandchildren by twos for memorable, much-loved camping trips.
Retirement years also brought many hours of yardwork, puttering in his shop and keeping his vehicles in tip-top shape.
Mr. Emmert’s great love for the Lord started at a young age, growing up at Sweet Home Mennonite Church. Later on, he was a vital part of River of Life Church, also in Sweet Home.
He touched many lives with his caring, kind, gentle character. No matter how many physical struggles he faced, he was steadfast and faithful.
Mr. Emmert is survived by his wife Mabel; sons Arlen and daughter-in-law Cathy, and Scott and daughter-in-law Julie; daughters Cheryl and son-in-law Ed Landis, and Sandra and son-in-law Michael King; 10 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren; sister Ethel Yoder; and brother Calvin Emmert.
He was preceded in death by his parents and four siblings, Willis Emmert, Margaret Dorsing, Opal Brubaker and Wayne Emmert.
A memorial service is planned for 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 18, at River of Life in Sweet Home. A live stream will be available on the River of Life Church Facebook page.
Donations in Mr. Emmert’s memory may be made to Mercy Ships International or River of Life Church in Sweet Home.