Marvin Wendland
Marvin Wendland, 86, of Springfield, died Saturday, March 31, 2018, at St. John Lutheran Home in Springfield.
Visitation will be today (Wednesday, April 4) from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield and will continue on Thursday from 9:30 until 10:30 a.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the St. Paul Lutheran Church at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, April 5, with Pastor Tricia Mattson officiating. Interment, with military honors by John Watson American Legion Post 257, will be at the St. Paul Lutheran Cemetery in Springfield.
Marvin Henry Wendland was born Nov. 14, 1931, in Albin Township, Brown County, Minnesota, to Henry and Goldia (Maha) Wendland. At the age of three, he moved with his family to the farm near Dotson, southwest of Springfield. He attended Dotson Country School through the eighth-grade and graduated from Springfield Public School in 1949 as salutatorian of his graduating class. In 1952, Marvin graduated from the School of Agriculture, University of Minnesota and worked on farms in the Okabena and Fulda areas. He also enjoyed playing baseball with the Dotson Pasture League and was a member of the 1952 Brown County championship team. Marvin was drafted into the US Army on Oct 8, 1952. He arrived in Korea on Easter Eve (April 4), 1953, and was assigned to the 140th Tank Battalion, Company B, Tank B-32 (later 12) on the Main Line of Resistance on hill 758. He started as the gunner and later became the Tank Commander. On June 3, he was wounded by a mortar and was awarded the Purple Heart. He left Korea on April 9, 1954, as a Staff Sergeant. On Feb. 12, 1961, Marvin married Fern Brinkman at St John Lutheran Church in Sherburn. They lived on the Wendland farm outside of Dotson where they milked cows, worked the land and raised four children. The couple retired in 1993 and moved to a home in Springfield. Marvin enjoyed bowling in the Springfield bowling leagues and was a member of St. Paul Lutheran Church, American Legion, DAV, Order of Purple Heart and a charter member of Prairieland Defenders Chapter 807.
He is survived by his children, Terri (Terry) Carson of Bradley, S.D., Dawn (Stuart) Walker of Rantoul, Ill., and Daniel (Jennifer) Wendland of Luverne; daughter-in-law, Rebecca Wendland of Arlington, S.D.; grandchildren, Robert Wendland, Kathryn Klumb, Brodrick Wendland, PFC Andrew Walker, Simon Walker, Jonas Walker, Emily Wendland, Courtney Wendland, and Harley Wendland; three great-grandchildren, Addison, Caleb and Carson Klumb; brothers, Myron Wendland of North Mankato, Walter (Janet) Wendland of Lakewood, Wash., Bernard (Inez) Wendland of Springfield, and Roman (Ruth) Wendland of Farmington; sisters, Ardis Schmidt of Lake Crystal, Mary (Russell) Jeppesen of Morgan, Berneida (Darold) Peck of Slayton, Sharon (Dave) Schisler of Mascoutah, Ill., Diane (John) Woodford of Redwood Falls, and Patrice (Chuck) Wermerskirchen of Jordan; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Fern Brinkman Wendland; son, Keith Wendland; sisters, Gloria (infant), Sylvia Irwin and Ardell Simning.
Arrangements are with the Sturm Funeral Home in Springfield. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.sturmfh.com.