The Funeral Service for Marvin A. Kling, age 92 of Thunder Hawk, will be held at 11:00 am Tuesday, March 2, 2010 at Spencer Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lemmon with Pastor Webster P. Brower officiating. Burial will be in the Morristown Hillside Cemetery with full military honors afforded by the Smith-Lyman American Legion Post #279 of Thunder Hawk.


Special music will be provided by Marilyn Willey.


Serving as casketbearers are Jeff and Chad Odell, Greg and Shannon Wiesinger, Janifer Fipps, and JuRee Wickersham. Serving as Honorary Bearers are Richard Wiesinger, and all of Marvin's friends and family.


MARVIN A. KLING was born February 14, 1918 at Morristown, SD to Martin and Clara (Hoffman) Kling. His parents settled south of Morristown in February of 1916 after being married in Fremont, NE on December 29, 1915. Twelve children were born to this union, Mary, Marvin, Emma, twins Ray and Roy, Dale, Coral, Harold, Walter, Bernard, Roger, and Donald. In 1922, the Kling's purchased the former Howard Quay place west of Keldron where they raised Registered Hereford Cattle. Marvin grew up there and at an early age, began working on the farm. One of his first jobs was to patrol the railroad line for fires on the "old plow horse" after hearing a passing train. He attended Keldron, Thunder Hawk, and Lemmon schools. In the late 1920's, the construction crew for the electrical company was passing through and wanted to purchase a work horse from this father, but the deal was the horse needed an operator to complete the transaction. It was agreed, that Marvin would be the hired hand. He travelled 10 to 12 miles into North Dakota before his mother sent his father to go get him because she felt sorry for him sleeping on the ground.


Marvin was inducted into the U.S. Army on November 24, 1941 at Ft. Snelling, MN. He served during WWII in the First Armored Division as an assault gun crewman until being honorably discharged on September 26, 1945 in Ft. Oglethorpe, GA.


Marvin was united in marriage to Beulah M. (Lorius) Odell on February 14, 1963. Together, he and Beulah spent many years ranching two miles south of Thunder Hawk, SD. He took great pride in his crossbred cattle and barley fed hogs. He often stated, "If the barley market was no good, he could earn good money making manure".


Since 1980, Marvin and Beulah began spending the winter months in Yuma, AZ. Due to their experiences and many friendships in Yuma, Marvin and Beulah are responsible for many friends from their home area wintering in Yuma. They loved to travel but always stopped in time for happy hour with their friends. They toured all 50 States and also much of Mexico and Canada. Most of these trips were with a fellow group of Snowbirds with motor homes. Marvin lovingly joked that he "wore out two of them". Marvin and Beulah have very close friends from all over the United States that he loved to visit.


His wife Beulah passed away on April 30, 2006. Marvin continued spending his time between the ranch and Yuma. He passed from this life on Sunday, February 21, 2010 at the Yuma Regional Medical Center in Yuma, AZ.


Surviving family members include his grandchildren, Jeff Odell, Irvine, CA, Janifer Fipps, Bismarck, ND, Chad Odell, Clear Lake, SD, Lance Bloedel, Rock Springs, WY, JuRee Wickersham, San Diego, CA, Tia Jenks, Fort Collins, CO, 5 great grandsons, Cody Fipps, James and Thadeus Odell, Kale Bloedel, and Tristan Elisson, 3 great granddaughters, Cheyanne Odell, Randi Elisson, and Jennacee Jenks, 2 brothers, Bernard Kling, Lemmon, SD, and Walter Kling, Axtel, UT, and numerous nieces and nephews.


He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Beulah, two sons, Gene and Jamie Odell, 6 brothers, Ray, Roy, Dale, Harold, Roger, and Donald, 3 sisters, Mary in infancy, Emma Storm, and Coral Kouril.


Visitation will be Monday from 1:00 to 9:00pm at the Evanson-Jensen Funeral Home in Lemmon and on Tuesday one hour prior to services at Spencer Memorial Presbyterian Church in Lemmon.