Marvin Opfer, 72, of Omaha, died Thursday, March 13, 2014, in Omaha.

Services are 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 18, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Valley. Interment will be private. Visitation is noon to 8 p.m. Monday, March 17, with family receiving friends from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Reichmuth Funeral Home, 21901 West Maple Road, Elkhorn.

Marvin Allen Opfer was born April 1, 1941, on the family farm near Hampton to Frederick and Ellen (Willcock) Opfer.

He grew up on the farm southeast of Arlington and attended school at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church before graduating from Arlington High School in 1958.

Following high school, he attended Midland Lutheran College. As a young boy, he was an avid baseball player, and began a lifelong love of hunting and fishing.

He married Glenyce Booze on Sept. 12, 1959, at the First Methodist Church in Fremont, and to this union, three children were born: Scott, Michael and Tommie.

The family made their home in Fremont, before moving to Millard in 1969. They lived in Millard until moving to their cabin on the Elkhorn River in Washington County in 1995. When his health declined the past three years, the couple moved to Woodbridge Senior Apartments in Omaha.

Mr. Opfer spent 28 years working for Western Electric/AT&T until retiring due to his health in 1987. He held numerous jobs and positions in his time there, working his way up to foreman.

He still enjoyed playing baseball while in Fremont for the Fremont Merchants, and later was active as a coach, including coaching his sons, and was commissioner of the Millard Athletic Association. He was a member of the Millard VFW Post #8334, and the IBEW. He loved cheering for the Huskers, mostly while listening to the games on the radio, and enjoyed country music from artists like Charlie Pride and Merle Haggard, while drinking a plain label beer.

He suffered a brain aneurysm below his brain stem in 1987 that he barely survived, caused him to retire from work and led to a steady decline in his health through the years. Through it all, he never complained about pain, and was determined to live his life to the fullest for as long as he could. He was still able to go deer, pheasant and mushroom hunting, camping, and traveling with his wife in their motor home.

He had a great voice, and loved to sing karaoke, and was known around their Millard neighborhood for picking up cans. He was a hard worker, who was always tinkering with something at the cabin. He held strong beliefs and a strong faith.

He was a very patient man who could be ornery and frugal, but was also witty and fun-loving. He will be remembered for his work ethic and being a genuinely nice person.

He is survived by his wife, Glenyce of Omaha, sons: Scott and wife Deb of Lincoln and Michael of Valley; daughter Tommie Opfer-Gonzales of Omaha; grandchildren: Jessica, Joshua, Zach, Tim, Frankie, Michael, Jon and Makenzie; great-grandchildren: Mallory, Olivia, Jacob and Jude, with one more on the way; brothers: Mert of Kennard, Larry of Lincoln and Dallas of Omaha; and sisters: Janet and husband Victor Romans of Oregon and Beverly Opfer of Omaha.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and sister Audry.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Lutheran Family Services, Lutheran Disaster Response, or the church.

www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com

Published in Omaha World-Herald from Mar. 15 to Mar. 16, 2014

Opfer, Marvin A.

Age 72 - Mar 13, 2014

Omaha. Preceded in death by parents, Frederick and Ellen Opfer; and sister, Audry. Survived by wife, Glenyce of Omaha; sons, Scott and wife Deb of Lincoln, NE, and Michael of Valley, NE; daughter, Tommie Opfer-Gonzales of Omaha; 8 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren; brothers, Mert of Kennard, NE, Larry of Lincoln, and Dallas of Omaha; and sisters, Janet and husband Victor Romans of Oregon, and Beverly Opfer of Omaha.

FUNERAL SERVICE Tuesday, March 18, 11am, St. Mark's Lutheran Church, Valley. Private Interment.

VISITATION Monday 12Noon-8pm, with family Receiving friends 6-8pm at the Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials to Lutheran Family Services, Lutheran Disaster Response, or the Church. Condolences to: www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com REICHMUTH FUNERAL HOMES 21901 West Maple 402-289-2222

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~