Minister Marvin Ellwanger

Minister Marvin Ellwanger, 81, of Winterset, died Monday, April 3, 2017, at his home. A visitation will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., Thursday, April 6, at Ochiltree Funeral Service in Winterset, with family present to receive friends during this time. A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday, April 7, at Ochiltree’s with burial to follow in the Fairview Cemetery. Memorials may be directed to HCI Hospice Cares Services and online condolences may be left for the family at ochiltree.com. Marvin Ellwanger was born March 14, 1936, in Norris, South Dakota to Jacob and Christina (Gall) Ellwanger. The family moved to western Nebraska where they worked in the sugar beet fields and the bean fields. He went to school at Liberty Center, Lyman and Morrill, Nebraska. He attended Midwestern School of Evangelism for two years, before attending Platte Valley Bible College. He also worked in a cabinet shop, which led to his lifelong interest in woodworking. Besides woodworking, Marvin enjoyed his motorcycle and hunting. On April 28, 1960, Marvin married Ellen Jane Prickett in Gering, Nebraska at the Central Christian Church. For one year following their marriage, they continued to travel on weekends to Douglas, Wyoming where Marvin preached two sermons on Sundays. In 1961, they moved to Litchfield, Nebraska to begin a fulltime ministry that lasted for the next 45 years; serving twelve congregations in Nebraska, Montana and Iowa. Marvin retired from Table Rock Church of Christ in June of 2006 and has since enjoyed, his time in the country, south of Winterset on the “four acres God has blessed us with.” He was a loving husband, dad and grandpa who loved to joke and tease. He is survived by his wife, Ellen Ellwanger of Winterset; four sons: Mark (Tammy) Ellwanger of Winterset, David Ellwanger of Indianola, Stephen (Heather) Ellwanger of Patterson and Timothy (Stephanie) Ellwanger of Marshalltown; siblings: Cora Ellwanger of Scottsbluff, NE, George Ellwanger of Des Moines, Dora (Ellwanger) Sinner of Florida, and Bill Ellwanger of Scottsbluff; 11 grandchildren: Paige Shivers, Travis (Amye) Shivers, Stephanie (Eddie) Elkin, Brooke Ellwanger, Zach Hale, Seth Hale, Elijah Ellwanger, Ricky Heathcote, Tony Carstensen, Austin Heathcote, and Kelsey Carstensen; 8 great grandchildren: William Shivers, Isabella Shivers, Quinten Shivers, Meya Shivers, Gianna Shivers, Fisher Elkin, Baby Elkin, and Baby Ellwanger; extended family and a host of friends. Marvin was preceded in death by his parents; and brothers, Harold Ellwanger and Hank (Dorothy) Ellwanger.