Marvin Eugene Ogilvie's Obituary
Marvin Ogilvie passed away in Longview, Texas on May 15, 2017 at the age of 91. Marvin was born on November 8, 1925 in Fruitvale, Idaho to Claude and Gladys Ogilvie. He is preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Marie, and his siblings, Jim, Ken and Marie. He is survived by his children, Janice Ogilvie of Gilmer, Texas, Dean and Vickie Ogilvie of Longview, Texas, Bruce and Nanci Ogilvie of Union Grove, Texas, and Cindi and Dan Muff of Bastrop, Texas. His grandchildren are Lena Breaux, Jody Ogilvie, Todd Ogilvie, Kevin and Jessica Ogilvie, Angie and Keith Williams, Landon and Jennifer Ogilvie and Haley Muff. He has 13 great grandchildren.
Marvin was industrious and hardworking. Since there was no high school where he grew up, he boarded with a family in Ontario, Oregon so he could attend school. To pay rent, he ran a milk route every morning before school and worked in a grocery after school and weekends. His football teammates gave him the Unsurpassed award his senior year. He met Donald Oakes, Marie’s brother in high school. He enlisted in the Navy after Pearl Harbor and served as a signalman and Quartermaster in the Pacific Theatre during WWII.
After the war, he attended Drake University at the invitation of his friend, Donald. They lived in the attic of the house that Marie bought to live in with her young daughter, Janice. After Marie graduated from Drake, Marvin and Marie married and moved back to Oregon. Marvin completed his degree in Agricultural Engineering from Oregon State. They lived and worked on the family ranch in Ironside, Oregon in the summers. In the winters, Marvin and Donald ran a feed lot near Ontario while Marie taught school. In 1964, Marvin and Marie purchased The Crown Ranch in John Day, Oregon consisting of owned and leased land of 52,000 acres.
In 1968, the Ogilvie family moved to Texas trading the John Day ranch for a 10,000 acre ranch in the Boxelder community of Red River County, Texas bringing The Crown Ranch brand with them. Eventually they gave up their passion, ranching, when the beef market crashed in 1975. Transitioning from ranches, they owned and operated a motel, restaurant, club, skating rink, rent houses, sign company, poultry farm and goat raising operation. Marvin, Marie and Cindi moved to Longview in 1979 when Marvin became a realtor.
Marvin served as President of the Malheur and Grant County Oregon Farm Bureaus, Vice President of the Oregon State Farm Bureau, President of Red River County, Texas Farm Bureau and as Elder in the Presbyterian churches he attended. He was appointed to the Colombia River Water Resources Board by Oregon governor, Mark Hatfield.
Marvin was a member of Alpine Presbyterian Church and formerly Holy Trinity, both in Longview. He was loved by everyone and known for his humor and devotion to his family.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the church or charity of your choice. A viewing and visitation will be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 18th. at Rader Funeral Home, 1617 Judson Road, Longview, Texas. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, May 19th at Alpine Presbyterian Church, 4102 Tryon Rd, Longview, Texas.
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