Marv Nelson

Marv Nelson was born April 25, 1940, in Arnegard N.D., the son of Andrew and Asbjorg Nelson. He passed into eternal life on Feb. 1, 2023, at Mayo Hospital, Ariz. A celebration of life service will be held at Evangel, Bismarck, N.D., on Saturday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m., open to all. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Fellowship of Christian Athletes, P.O. Box 12755, Prescott, AZ 86304, myfca.org/TimMitzel.

Marv attended University of ND Williston Center and Minot State College, and married Stella Christianson, his wife of 63 years, on July 16, 1959. The couple was blessed with five children, 17 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren who, along with his wife, will miss him dearly.

Marv enjoyed sales work while attending college, then began a company that marketed Lincoln Benefit Life products. He loved teaching stockbrokers how to sell life insurance, as his passion was for families to be protected and cared for.

Marv’s faith in God was of utmost importance to him, and he was an elder at church. He and Stella were leaders in Marriage Encounter and taught Bible studies on marriage. Though he would give anything, do anything for anyone, in true Nelson style he could stretch a penny a mile.

Growing up on a farm with parents who experienced the Depression, Marv’s motto was, “Why pay someone else to do what you can do yourself?” That trait helped him learn to fix most anything and turn pennies into dollars. His kids might describe this trait as a bit more than “frugal!”

Marv’s passions over the years were loving on babies and little kids (his family and everyone else’s), hunting deer and pheasants with his boys, water sports (he was an avid water and snow skier), all sports, especially his children’s and grandkids’ activities, and traveling, as he particularly enjoyed cruising with friends and family.

He will be remembered for his deep faith in God, his honesty of character, the stability and peace he walked in as he trusted God to guide him, his careful stewardship of all things, his quick wit, great humor and a very contagious laugh. Marv counted his many offspring as huge blessings from God.

Marv is survived by his wife, Stella; their five children, Gary (Roberta), Todd (Denise), Roxi Miller (Mike), Julie Mitzel (Tim) and Troy (Kree); grandchildren, Noelle (Matt) Purvis, Jordan (Shira) Nelson, Elijah (Yasamee) Nelson, Eve Bloom, Isaac Bloom, Waylon (Sara) Nelson, Ronald Nelson, Ryan (Heather) Miller, Amy (Jason) Naas, Stephanie (Logan) Worm, Seth Mitzel, Maggie Mitzel, Molly Mitzel, Madalyn Nelson, Emma Nelson, Olivia Nelson, Sam Nelson; one sister, Betty Bartolomei; twenty-three great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews, and cousins in Norway. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Doris Fisketjon, Lyla Tweet, Ida Evanson, Arlis Fritsvold and brother, Neil Nelson.