Whenever my Dad called Marvin he would yell into the phone (Marvin was a bit hard of hearing) “Hello Farmer Brown!” and then proceed to talk to him for hours on the phone (and hardly getting in a word or two). Sadly we lost Marvin last Saturday to a heart attack. Marvin was one of my Dad’s best friends and I had known him for most of my life. He was ‘a character’! An old farmer who still believed that the communists were going to invade and who would talk your ear off about anything and everything. He always had a Boxer, whom he totally spoiled, and for the longest time a goose that lived to be 20+ years old. His mom Carrie was a nice lady and who would make me and the twin cookies every time we visited. She made these great chocolate cookies that had strips and a whole in the middle! Years later I learned that these were actually Keebler Fudge Stripes cookies!
Around 50 people attended the service and about 19 were at the cemetery. It was a cold, but a nice day. Marvin was a very nice man and he will be missed.
Here is the obituary that they posted at the service today and online:
“Marvin L. Pangerl, of rural Braham, passed away on Saturday, December 1, 2012, at his home. He was 85 years old.
FUNERAL will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 6, 2012 at the Rock-Ingebrand Funeral Home in Braham with Rev. Robert DeYoung officiating.
VISITATION will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
INTERMENT will be at the Birchwood Cemetery in Pine City.
Marvin Lawrence Pangerl passed away at his home by Greeley, Minnesota on December 1, 2012. He was 85 years of age at the time of death.
Marvin was born at home near Braham, Minnesota to Frank and Caroline Pangerl on June 26, 1927. He grew up, as an only child, in the Braham, Rush Point and Greeley area as his family rented or owned various farms. He attended school in Braham, Rush Point and Greeley. At the age of 15, Marvin contracted tuberculosis and spent several months in the sanatorium at Walker, Minnesota. While at Walker, Marvin read extensively and became a self-taught mechanic. When he returned home, Marvin and his father, who was also very mechanical, worked on wells, moved houses, and repaired all types of farm equipment on their farm and for neighbors. Marvin held John Deere equipment in the highest regard but would tolerate and fix other lines of machinery as well. Marvin could fix just about everything around the farm or home, from welding to small engines, tractors, electrical motors, alternators and generators. When he did repairs for someone, work started only after a substantial amount of time was spent talking about anything but what needed to be fixed.
During the 1950’s, Marvin worked for Froelke’s Implement and Schneider’s Chevrolet Garage in Rush City. Later, he worked at Univac in the maintenance department, in Minneapolis.
When his parents became older, Marvin returned to the farm by Greeley and farmed there until his retirement. During these years, Marvin helped many neighbors and friends repair everything from wristwatches to diesel engines. When doing repairs he liked to look up the price of parts, state in disbelief the price of the parts needed and then repair the old one or make a new one to save money.
Marvin was a man of many words and stories. He loved to have people visit and he would hold them captive by the kitchen table for hours and tell them his stories. He was a keen observer of the world around him and had opinions about most subjects, especially politicians, medical personnel, the economy and the state of the world. With colorful adjectives he left no doubt as to what he thought of the issues of the day.
Throughout his adult life Marvin always had a Boxer dog for a companion. For many years they were all named Buster but the last few were named Max. Marvin was preceded in death by his parents and survived by cousins and many friends. He will be missed by his family and many friends. He was truly “One of a kind.”
(http://www.aifuneralhome.com/site/2012/12/03/marvin-l-pangerl/)
Update: This was posted in the Isanti County News: http://isanticountynews.com/2012/12/07/marvin-lawrence-pangerl/
A funeral service was held Thursday, December 6, 2012 at the Rock-Ingebrand Funeral Home in Braham with Rev. Robert DeYoung officiating. Casket Bearers were James Hecht, Rick Hultman, Kevin Swanson, and Scott Lucht. Burial was at the Birchwood Cemetery in Pine City. Arrangements by Rock-Ingebrand Funeral Home.
