Marvin Joseph Brandt
On Sunday, September 24. 1939, Marvin Joseph Brandt entered this world. He was the 8th child and last son of William Otto and Caroline Metz Brandt of Marathon, Wisconsin. On Friday, May 27, 2022 he departed his earthly home in lowa Park, Texas, surrounded by his loved ones.
Services were held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 31, in Dutton Funeral Home Chapel.
Daddy knew from an early age that being a dairy farmer was not what he wanted to do with his life. He graduated from Marathon High School in 1957 and two days later was on his way to California and Marine boot camp. Upon completion of boot camp, he made the decision to go into the Air Force. He proudly wore the uniform of his country until 1966.
Sometime in 1958 he wrote a letter to a young lady in lowa Park: a town he had never heard of. That single letter turned in to 18 months of letters and phone calls and the knowledge that he was not going to let Virginia Ann Vestal get away from him. She traveled to Wisconsin to meet his family before she even met him. The date was set and on January 14, 1961 they embarked on a lifelong commitment to each other that spanned 61 years.
To this union was born Vanessa Ann (1961) and Marvin Joseph “Bodie” Brandt, Jr. (1963)
The world was in an uproar in 1966 and Daddy made the decision to discharge from the service. In October of 1966 he went to work in Civil Service. In 1970 he graduated from Midwestern University with his Bachelor of Science in Education and in 1972 he earned his Masters of Education. He was promoted to instructor with the Helicopter Mechanics/Aircraft Maintenance group at Shepherd Air Force Base. He remained there until 2001 when he finally “retired”. Daddy was a family man through and through. He loved doing things with his wife and kids and going on vacations (mostly “up home” to Wisconsin) and camping. Because of his own love of education, he encouraged his wife to go back to school and get her degree in nursing and was adamant that his children would be college educated as well.
Daddy was a member of the Texas Muzzleloader Association, Oklahoma Muzzleloading Association and a lifetime member of the Red River Renegades Muzzleloading Club. He was the sole owner of Ye Old Gun Shack muzzleloading supplies and went to shooting matches all over the southwest. In the 1990’s he teamed up with his son and operated MJB Oil Company.
Daddy was a very well-liked and respected man. He treated people the way he wanted to be treated and never turned from an opportunity to help someone. To say that he will be missed is an understatement.
Daddy was preceded in death by his son and best friend, Bodie in 2010, his parents, brothers Donald and Elroy Brandt; sisters Pearl Fox Bela, Annabelle Kruger, Isabelle Weston, and Germaine Pagel; brothers-in-law Richard Fox, Frank Bela, Henry Krueger, Kenneth Weston, Don Kapellan, Philip Seliger, Edward Pagel, David “Butch” Vestal, and Jimmy Bradberry; sisters-in-law Rosie Brandt, Vi Brandt, and Ruthie Brandt.
Daddy is survived by the love of his life, Ann; his daughter Vanessa and son-in-law Rob McGarry, and his grandchildren, whom he cherished, Robert Cole McGarry and Shawna Lynn Gilbert and husband Brandon; and a host of nieces and nephews and friends; as well as his brother Earl Brandt of Wisconsin and his sisters Delores Kapellan and Jean Seliger of Tennessee.
The family would cherish any memories you may have of our sweet man.
