Marvin Frank “Mops” Schwisow

Marvin Frank “Mops” Schwisow died on the morning of March 30 at the age of 86, at the Life Care Center of Ritzville.

He was born in rural Ritzville April 22, 1927, to Fred J. and Agnes (Schweer) Schwisow, He was baptized in the Emanuel Lutheran Church on May 15, 1927, with godparents Carrie Scwisow and Frank Schwisow.

He enjoyed playing marbles, roller skating, boozing, ice skating at Finnel Lake, baseball, basketball, track, fishing and hunting.

Later he played for the Ritzville Ramblers and took Joan dancing Saturday evenings to the big band music at Natatorium Park in Spokane or Sprague Lake.

With brother Vern, they drove every morning to Franzen Dairy on Crab Creek to drive milk back to the Ritzville Creamery, located on the corner of Washington Street and Railroad Avenue.

While he was a junior at Ritzville High School, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy for World War II to avoid being drafted into the Army.

He did his boot training in San Diego, Calif., and he served on the aircraft carrier USS Mindoro and patrolled the Caribbean Sea and the Panama Canal. His main job was loading five inch torpedoes for guns to shoot foreign planes.

Honorably discharged from his home base in Norfolk, Va., he returned to Ritzville, continued in sports and graduated with the Class of 1947.

Marvin was employed as a farm worker for multiple local farmers. He also worked as a meat cutter for Jack Richmond; helped on various construction projects; and worked at the Texaco station for his father.

His last job was a highway technician for 29 years with the Washington State Department of Transportation.

He was active at Emanuel as a deacon, Evangelism chairman and usher. He served in the volunteer fire department for 23 years, the football chain gang for 12 years, and Legion Post 51 for 68 years.

He was able to donate three gallons of blood during the Red Cross drives, until he developed cancer, and participated in Relay For Life. As a father, he helped with Little League and Babe Ruth baseball.

Marvin had the distinction as local scoutmaster in encouraging 15 boys to become Eagle Scouts, including his four sons. He was awarded a trip to Philmont in Cimarron, N.M., and chosen assistant scoutmaster to the World Jamboree in Japan.

As a school bus driver in the Ralston area, he met Joan and they were the last couple married in the old Emanuel Lutheran Church 59 years ago, in November 1954.

Marvin is survived by his wife, Joan Oestreich Schwisow; his sons Jack (Rhonda), Dean, Gary (Joan) and Rodney Schwisow; grandchildren Casi, Kayla, Taylor Mitchell and Sailor Schwisow; nephews, nieces and many cousins.

A memorial service will be held at Emanuel Lutheran Church in Ritzville on Friday, April 4, at 2 p.m. Private internment will be at Emanuel Lutheran Cemetery.

Danekas Funeral Home and Crematory of Ritzville is entrusted with arrangements.