Marvin Thom

Marvin Thom, age 89 of

Maddock, formerly of Bot-

tineau, passed away on

Friday, February 18, 2022

at a Maddock, ND nursing

home. A memorial ser-

vice will be held on Mon-

day, February 28, 2022 at

10:00 a.m. at the Lake

Metigoshe Christian

Center. Visitation will be

on Sunday, February 27th

starting at 5:00 p.m. with

a prayer service starting at

6:30 p.m. at the Nero Fun-

eral Home in Bottineau.

Marvin John Thom, son

of Martin and Ruth

(Myles) Thom, was born

April 15, 1932 in Bot-

tineau. He was raised on a

farm, with his family, in

the rural Kramer area. He

attended country school

with his sisters, and con-

tinued his education driv-

ing to Bottineau, and gra-

duated from Bottineau

High School in 1949. He

stayed with families in

Bottineau throughout

school and spent time on

the weekends working on

the farm with his family.

He often shared the story

that he “skipped the 5th

grade”, because his teach-

er thought he was, “so

smart”. On September 5,

1952 Marvin married Har-

riet Wood, and they began

their lives together mov-

ing into the Bunk House

on Ruth and Martin’s

farm. The Fall of 1954 he

moved Harriet and his son

William to begin his own

farming operation, along

with raising and milking

cows. Marvin was at the

top of the military list, but

fell to the bottom with the

surprising birth of the tri-

plets, Kevin, Karen, and

Kathryn on November 3,

1954. He had to leave Har-

riet, in the care of her

Mother, to milk cows

promising to return as

soon as he was able.

When he returned, to his

shock and surprise, he

now needed to provide for

a toddler and three babies.

In 1957 they moved to the

Herb White farm, working

with Herb, and providing

for his family. In 1959, the

fifth child Robert, was

born to the family.

In 1962 they relocated

to Mohall, ND where he

managed the Westland

Station for Marlin Nord-

mark. He later attended

Thief River Falls Voca-

tional and Technical

School of Aircraft Mainte-

nance. He returned to be-

gin his career in aviation

working with Jack Luther,

who taught him how to

fly. His love of flying

developed into his own

business, Thom’s Ag Ser-

vice. He worked to

achieve a Federal Avia-

tion Administration of

Aircraft and Powerplant

rating, an authorized in-

spector, commercial pilot,

certified agricultural

operator, and certified

flight instructor.

Marvin was very in-

volved in his community.

A member of Mohall Fire

Department, ambulance

service, bus driver for

Mohall School District,

member of Zion Lutheran

Church, Masonic Lodge,

Airport Authority, City

Council,

Renville-Bottineau

Memorial Hospital Board,

North Dakota Aviation As-

sociation, SRT Director,

and Board of Director of

Citizens State Bank. His

greatest community pro-

ject was the development

of Midwest TeleMark

International. As

co-owner, he helped to

provide jobs for many

people through the expan-

sion of the business

across the state of North

Dakota and Canada.

At the age of 59 he re-

ceived a phone call from

Herb White, asking him if

he would be interested in

farming in Whitby Town-

ship, Bottineau. After a

family conference, some

ayes, and nays, he started

farming. They relocated

their home to their cabin

at lake Metigoshe and he

farmed for the next 23

years, along side Harriet

and his beloved dog,

Whitby.

Marvin passed away at

the age of 89, on Friday,

February 18, 2022 at the

Maddock Memorial

Home, Maddock, ND.

Marvin is survived by

his sons, William (Peggy)

Thom of Grand Junction,

CO, Robert (Lorie) Thom

of Maddock, ND;

daughter, Kathryn (Ken-

ton) Onstad of Parshall,

North Dakota; 10

grandchildren, Sarah

Summers, Jaclyn Hall,

Andrew Onstad, Nicole

Berryman, Eric Berryman,

Kylie Lodoen, Kendra

Hamnes, Alicia Young,

Andrea Knuth and Ed-

ward Thom; 18

great-grandchildren; Sis-

ter, Darlyne Froseth of

Bottineau, ND, and broth-

er Mark Thom of Kramer,

ND.

In addition to his

parents, he was preceded

in death by his wife Har-

riet, his beloved dog

Whitby, daughter Karen

Berryman, son, Kevin

Thom, grandson Kevin

Thom, sisters Leila John-

son, and Wilma Gust.

The family requests that

memorials be given to the

Metigoshe Lutheran

Church or the Maddock

Memorial Home.

Arrangements were

with Nero Funeral Home

in Bottineau.