Marvin Duane Blom was born on September 28, 1937, near Sully, Iowa. He was the fifth of six children that were born to Tunis and Jennie Roelofsen Blom. "Marv" graduated from the Sully Christian Grade School and was a member of the last class to graduate from Sully High School in 1955. During high school Marv already excelled in sports, especially football. On February 16, 1956, he was united in marriage with JoAnn Memmelaar, a daughter of Bernard and Carrie Vos Memmelaar, at the Leighton Christian Reformed Church in Leighton, Iowa. To this union five children were born: Vincent Marvin, Rickie Gene, Randie Lee, Barbara Jo and Julie Ann. Following their marriage, Marv first began working at a plumbing shop in Newton, Iowa. He then began farming north of Pella, Iowa. Marv was a seed corn salesman for O's Gold for a few years and then operated a Vermeer farmer-dealer baler business for 27 years. Work did not keep Marv from enjoying and doing other things. Marv drove school bus for Pella Community Schools for 18 years. He refereed basketball and football games and umpired many, many softball games. He was an avid softball fan watching his sons pitch and later his granddaughters play for Pella Christian High School. Marv collected antique tractors and enjoyed going on cruises and traveling. Marv had a heart for missions and spent many volunteer hours working for CRWRC organizing work trips for disaster response in the U.S. He also coordinated the local community connections outreach program for Marion County. On Sunday afternoon, May 24, 2009, he passed away at the Pella Regional Health Center in Pella at the age of 71 years, 7 months and 26 days. Those who will cherish his memory are his wife, JoAnn; their five children and their spouses and their families: Vincent and Linda (Van Dyke) Blom of Pella, Iowa; Rickie and Sue (Kinion) Blom of Reasnor, Iowa; Randie and Marla (Van Wyk) Blom of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; Barbara and Shawn Hobson of Des Moines, Iowa; Julie and Tom Woodner of Burnsville, Minnesota. Of his original family Marvin leaves his two sisters and a brother and their spouses: Evelyn V. and Paul Farnham of Gowrie, Iowa, Donna L. (Ivan) Kaldenberg of Pella, Floyd E. and Lavonne Blom of Algona, Iowa; his two sisters-in-law: Elizabeth (G. James) Blom and Beulah (Chuck) Blom both of Pella; along with the following sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law: Leona (Memmelaar) Vande Voort of Leighton, Bernice (Memmelaar) and Willard Bronger of Wheaton, Illinois, Nancy (Memmelaar) and Ronald Swank of Sully and John Memmelaar of Des Moines, Iowa. Marvin was preceded in death by his parents, Tunis and Jennie Blom; his parents-in-law, Barney and Carrie Memmelaar; two brothers: Guysbert James Blom and Carroll Laverne (Chuck) Blom; his brothers-in-law: Ivan Kaldenberg and Gary Vande Voort, and a sister-in-law, Nanci (John) Memmelaar. Marvin loved his grandchildren and enjoyed playing cards. He was an active, faithful member of the Calvary Christian Reformed Church in Pella and had a heart for helping others as was evident with his involvement with the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, World Missions and most recently Community Connections.


The family has designated the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee, Hospice of Pella or Community Connections serving Marion County for memorial contributions.

Van Dyk - Duven Funeral Home