Obituary of Justin C. Marvin

Marvin, Justin C. GM1/1C U.S. Navy 1942-1946 USS Schroeder (DD501) Williamson, NY: Justin C. Marvin (lovingly known as “Mutt” from childhood), formerly of Elmira and Corning, age 88. Passed away on November 10, 2011 with his loving family singing him Over the Great Divide, into the arms of our Savior Jesus Christ. He was born June 22, 1923 in Corning, NY to Cecil and Laura Bolderson Marvin. He graduated on June 22, 1942 from Corning Free Academy on his 19th birthday, and by July 4th of that year, he and some of his best friends enlisted in the Navy. Justin attended Gunner’s Mate School in New Port, RI and was assigned to fire watch on the USS Schroeder (DD501) in December of 1942. For the next 3 ½ years the Schroeder was his home away from home stalking our enemy in the Pacific. He earned 12 Battle Stars and Four Campaign ribbons. Wounded at Tarawa, he was aboard the Schroeder when it steamed into Tokyo Bay with the invasion force. He was a proud sailor and his closing statement in a book published by him and his shipmates was “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” He was proud to have been awarded a Bronze Star for shipboard valor towards the end of World War II. Anchors aweigh Mutt, stay the course, well done. Your nightmares are over, rest in peace. Mutt was predeceased by his parents; wife Gertrude; loving daughter Dona Marie; brothers Jerrold and Jack Marvin; sisters Joyce Lewis, Janice Sample and Joan Cuda. The family thanks their friends and neighbors who assisted in his long sad battle with Alzheimer’s and helped to keep him home as long as possible. You lifted him up when he fell, you helped feed him when he no longer could feed himself, you loved him and talked to him when he no longer knew us, and you all gave us the hugs and love that kept us going. God bless you all. Justin is survived by son Stephen Marvin of Lugof, SC; loving little sister and brother-in-law Jane and Jimmy Gehl; his loving wife Dorothy Stickler Marvin; step-children Kathi Corwin of Holly, NY, Karen Lippa of China Hills, CA, Louis Walker, Kim Vanstrien and Eleanor Maynard of Williamson, NY, Mickey Griffin and Pauline Cauwels of Marion, NY, Julie Fagner of Palmyra, NY, Corinne Weimer of Newark, NY; a host of nieces and nephews who always called him Uncle Mutt. Our thanks to New York State Electric & Gas for the wonderful care extended to Mutt from the day he started working in 1954 until the day he died. His care and benefits from you covered everything we needed for him to be comfortable and safe in his last retirement years. Our love to Pat Skelly, V.A. Rep in Wayne County. You cared about Mutt and you were in awe of what he did. You are one in a million. The doctors at the VA in Bath and Canandaigua deserve a big thank you for taking care of Mutt, Dr. Kochesberger, Dr. Warner, Social Worker Richard Davis were always willing to help at all times. Thanks to nurses Barb and Cathy, and the little ladies and strong tall men in blue at Blossom View Nursing Home in Sodus for all your hugs and loving care you gave Mutt. Those little blue angels appeared day and night administering their loving care and laughs to Mutt, he loved it. Mutt missed our Veteran’s Day party last Friday but we held it anyway, to honor him. There will be a Memorial Service, at a time to be announced celebrating his life in the Spring of 2012 in the Elmira-Corning area where he lived, worked and grew up. Memorial contributions to help with this terrible disease of Alzheimer’s may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association of your choice. It will be appreciated. Farewell my best friend, it was a great loving trip with you. See you soon. Dot. Arrangements by the Norton Funeral Home of Sodus.