Melvin Marwitz Obituary

Melvin A. Marwitz passed away on June 20, 2025, and he went home to Momma, as he had been requesting daily for the last few weeks. He was born on May 27, 1931, to Adolph and Mary (Prescher) Marwitz. He was one of seven children and attended school in Hamilton County, Texas. Raised in the Lutheran Church, Melvin recalls taking confirmation training in German.
From a young age, Melvin helped on the family farm on Cowhouse Creek near Priddy, Texas. He often told stories of his father buying horses at a sale barn, and his job was to break them for resale. The family always had hogs, dogs, cows, chickens, a team of horses, and a sturdy wagon. His father did a lot of hunting, and there was always dried meat in the cellar.
As a teenager, Melvin spent summers in Colorado with the Burton Queen family near Woodrow, working as a tractor driver with his family on a combine crew. At 16, his family moved to Colorado, first near Woodrow and then to a place just north of the Platte River on the Wildcat. He met Juanita Peterson in high school in Brush, and they married in August 1950.
The couple had four children: Cheryl (Kenny) Charboneau, Bonnie Curtis, Wanda (deceased at age 16), and Joel (Deana) Marwitz. They were blessed with 10 grandchildren: Carolyn (Clayton) Davis, Matthew Charboneau, Justin (Jill) Curtis, Lacey (Jimmy) Hastings, Cody (Emily) Curtis, Heidi (Luke) Hannan, Jared (Amanda) Marwitz, Rachel Daugherty, Rebekah (Isaiah) Struble, and Mary (Shane) Geringer. Melvin also had 23 great-grandchildren, with one more due at the end of the year, and ten great-great-grandchildren, with another due in the fall. Great-grandpa enjoyed the little ones, even when he could no longer remember their names or who they belonged to.
Melvin liked to stay busy, whether working hard or playing hard. In the early years of their marriage, he ran cattle with his father-in-law, Max. Later, he focused more on farming, primarily putting up hay. He initially grew timothy hay on the creek bottom and later installed three circular sprinklers for alfalfa. Melvin was known for his quality hay and met many horse enthusiasts. Family members often helped on the farm during busy times, creating lasting memories of baling hay in the middle of the night.
Melvin was an avid sportsman, playing on local baseball teams, city or community basketball teams, bowling leagues (1960-1962 championships), and his favorite sport of all, tennis. He also enjoyed dancing, card games, and dominoes with family and friends, always bringing a competitive spirit. This love of sports continued late in his life, at kid's church (KWAM) in 2023, he was seen stepping into the dodge ball game, ducking and said "it missed me!"
In 1966, Melvin bought a shed row of Thoroughbred racehorses and became passionate about raising, training, and racing them. This brought a new circle of friends and another challenging sport. After nearly a decade of moving from track to track, he returned to the farm, just in time for Joel to join in the farming activities. Cheryl and Kenny also helped during busy times, which helped pay for college tuition. As the farms expanded, the Curtis grandchildren spent several summers helping Grandpa with baling, swathing, stacking, and cultivating corn. When they moved on, Joel's son, Jared, stepped in to help. Melvin supported the FFA and 4H and often helped neighbors in need.
In 1977, the family faced a tragic loss when Wanda died in an auto-train accident at age 16. This was a difficult time for everyone. Melvin and Juanita, who had attended the Brush Methodist Church, began attending the Lutheran Church of Our Redeemer with his sister Delora Ticnor. In recent years, he attended PVBC with Bonnie, once saying, "There's nothing wrong with the Baptist Church."
In 1999, Juanita developed a severe hip infection and sepsis. Melvin was faithfully by her side during her hospital stay and continued to care for her at home until she passed in 2005. He often said the state of Colorado did him a favor by shutting his irrigation wells in 2002, allowing him to care for Juanita full-time.
After retirement, Melvin renewed his interest in fishing, enjoying the activity with his former bookkeeper, Paul Ververs. He also continued to have fun, participating in kids' church activities and dancing. After Paul and Juanita passed, Melvin returned to dancing, traveling to dances in northeastern Colorado and meeting many people. He spent 13 years with Marceline Rambow of Fort Morgan until her passing in 2019. He enjoyed helping others get to dances and made many good friends. Some very special friends include Alene Johnson, Alta Grippen, and Darlene Weiss. Alene remained an important part of Melvin's life in assisted living. In recent years, Wayne Holt, of Hillrose, was a frequent companion on the many drives to the dances.
In 2023-2024, Melvin and Bonnie traveled to BHS wrestling matches, enjoying sports, eating, and traveling despite his dementia. When Bonnie needed to address health issues, Melvin moved to Eben Ezer assisted living at the Pines, where Alene welcomed him as her neighbor. He enjoyed being around people and continued to play dominoes, often winning against Bonnie and Cheryl.
Melvin celebrated his 94th birthday with friends and family, smiling ear to ear despite his fatigue. He and Alene even danced a few times on his birthday to "Alexa."
Melvin was preceded in death by his wife, Juanita; his parents; daughter, Wanda; and five siblings. He is survived by three children; his youngest sister, Mary Ann (Harry) Taylor; former son-in-law Howard Curtis; ten grandchildren; 23 great-grandchildren; ten great-great-grandchildren; and many other relatives and friends.
He will be remembered for his hard work, love, and loyalty to his family, and his zest for life.
A Visitation will be held at Platte Valley Baptist Church Monday, July 7, 2025, at 9:00 AM, followed by a Funeral Service at 10:00 AM, and interment at Brush Memorial Cemetery.
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