Marvin Dowhaniuk, 78, Aurora , Colo., died Tuesday, June 27, 2017 at Colorado State Veterans Home, Aurora, Colo. A Divine Liturgy for Marvin will be at 10 a.m., Saturday, July 8, 2017 at St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Church, Fairfield, with Fr. Yurii Sas as the celebrant. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Fairfield. Visitation will be on Friday from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a Panakyda at 7 p.m. at Ladbury Funeral Service with Deacon Leonard Kordonowy presiding.
Marvin Dowhaniuk, son of Metro and Oksana (Ewoniuk)Dowhaniuk, was born August 4 1938 in Belfield. He was a second-generation immigrant from Ukraine. He grew up on a farm north of Belfield and enlisted in the United States Navy after graduating from Belfield High School. On January 12, 1965 he married Pauline Morel and they were blessed with four children. Their union ended in divorce but his love for family endured.
Marvin enjoyed operating heavy equipment and aided in the construction of several freeways in North and South Dakota. Marvin enjoyed playing guitar, fishing, and loved watching western movies. Referred to as “Shorty” by his friends, he never seemed to mind the moniker and made up for it with his exuberance and vitality for life. He especially enjoyed spending time with family. Marvin demonstrated his love and charity, by being caretaker for his father Metro, in his elderly years.
Life dealt many challenges to Marvin, but he never wavered in his trust in the Lord. He had a strong prayer life and commitment to spreading the good news. Marvin enjoyed spending his golden years with his son, Jim in Oregon and later with his sister Mary in Colorado. Marvin enjoyed a special love and connection with his sister Mary. They were always there together, to support one another, through hard times. This strong connection to family was rooted in the strong values instilled in him by his parents and is carried forward by his surviving family.
Marvin is survived by his two sons, Jim, Tigard, Ore. and Mark, Minneapolis, Minn.; two daughters; Bonnie, Bismarck and Pam Tschaekofske, Bismarck; and five grandchildren; two sisters, Maria, Oceanside Calif. and Mary, Denver, Colo. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers and five sisters.
