Marvin R. Taylor

Marvin “Marv” Raymond Taylor, 78, died on August 14, 2024. Marv was born January 3, 1946, to Clifford and Hazel (Gleason) Taylor in Minden, NE. He was raised in a loving home with one older sister, Marlene, and one younger sister, Marian. Marv attended the Minden Public Schools and graduated in 1964. He was an active member of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and played football every year. FFA introduced Marv to the care, feeding, buying and selling of livestock by his coach and teacher, Dick Wilson. Becoming a stockman proved to be a lifelong enjoyment and way of life. Marv made life-long friends as early as kindergarten with four classmates: Bob Sinsel (Minden, NE), Dave French (Axtell, NE), Terry Bloomfield (Pueblo, CO), and Ted Maska (deceased). After graduation, Marv worked in the Minden area before he volunteered to serve his nation in the US Air Force during the Vietnam War. He served four years in the Air Force, serving one tour in Vietnam. He earned the rank of Sargent before he was honorably discharged. Marv returned to the Minden area before establishing his own livestock operation in Kearney. Marv met his future wife and life-long love, Beverly “Bev” Ann Lorenz also of Kearney, and they were married October 17, 1970, at the Faith United Methodist Church in Kearney. Marv quickly became “Pa” to Bev’s four children and “Grandpa” to twelve grandchildren. Their life together was dedicated to being the rock and foundation as the children grew, being devoted grandparents, working at Rockwell International and Eatons Manufacturing, and caring for cattle and hogs. Marv was a savvy businessman, a patriot, a good citizen, and a bibliophile of civil war literature, political biographies, and western genre including reading Louis L’Amour’s 89 novels. After retirement, he was a devoted husband and compassionate caregiver until Bev passed away on March 6, 2012. Those left to cherish his memory are two sisters, Marlene Taylor (Grand Island NE) and Marian Taylor (Cheyenne WY), four children, Connie Vicker (Ray Franz) of Des Moines, IA, Gale (George) Jennings of Silverton, OR; John (Geil) Gilbert of Kearney, NE; and Jacquelin (Lawrence) Flectcher of Kearney, NE, grandchildren: Ronda (Damon) Herzog, Richard (Kristine) Vicker, Nicole Zimmerman, Quentin (Stanice) Zimmerman; Melissa Gutierrez, Carrie (Derrick) Incott, Clifton (Angela) Greuter, Ivan (Rexanne) Greuter, Travis (Swaylana) Greuter, and Trever Greuter; twenty-eight great-grandchildren, sister-in-law, Roberta Leder Beaman (Bettendorf, IA), and friend Diane Fischer. Marvin was preceded in death by his beloved wife, his parents, grandsons: Heath Zimmerman, Trent Zimmerman, Kirk Greuter, Justin Zimmerman; and great-grand-daughter Samantha Marie Zimmerman-Orta. A Celebration of Life Open House will be held on Thursday, August 29, from 5:00 – 8:00 pm at the American Legion Post #52, 1223 Central Avenue, Kearney. A grave side service with military honors will be held in the Greenfield Cemetery, Greenfield, Iowa on Saturday, August 31, with The Rev. Dr. Ivan E. Greuter officiating. Honorary pallbearers: Bob Sinsel, Dave French, Terry Bloomfield, and Mike Jones (Centerville, OH). Memorials are suggested to The American Legion or the Disabled Veterans National Foundation. Online condolences or personal reflections may be submitted to www.osrfh.com. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home of Kearney.

Marvin R. Taylor

January 3, 1946 - August 14, 2024