KOERNER, Marvin J., age 94

Died: Thursday, February 20th, 2014

Memorial Service: 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, 2014 at First Congregational UCC (310 Broadway in Eau Claire) with Reverend Dr. Mark Pirazzini officiating

Visitation: family will receive friends 1 hour prior to service at church

Interment: will be at a later date

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to either: 
Alzheimers Foundation of America
http://www.alzfdn.org/ContributetoAFA/makeadonation.html
St. Joseph's Hospital Home Health and Hospice
https://sjc.thankyou4caring.org/

Marvin John Koerner, 94, of Eau Claire passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 20, 2014 following a long battle with Alzheimers disease.

Marvin was born July 10, 1919 to the late Noah F. Koerner, Sr. and Rose Blau. Marv expressed fond memories of growing up in Wausau with his brothers, Norman Sr., Elmer, and Noah, Jr.  and sister, Ruth. The family eventually moved to Birnamwood, WI where his father worked for the C&NW Railroad.

Marvin received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1942. Immediately after graduation, he answered a call to serve in the military during World War II. He was proud of his service in the U.S. Navy as a Lieutenant on the USS LST 267 transporting Marines and tanks to battlefields in the Pacific until the war ended.

After the war, Marv returned to Birnamwood to work at the local pharmacy and help care for his mother, who died in 1946.  Marv and his four siblings had all served in the war and returned safely, but as his father would later say, his mother was a casualty of the war. 

In Birnamwood, Marv met and married Suzanne Mills, a nurse who was helping to care for her dying brother.  Marv and Sue were married on Memorial Day 1947 and celebrated 65 years of marriage in 2013. They spent most of their married life in Eau Claire where they raised two children and attended First Congregational Church.  Marv worked as a pharmacist - at Urheims Drug Store; at both the East Side Drug Store and Drs. Building Pharmacy which he ran for 21 years with his brother, Noah (Bunk). He finished his career at Luther Hospital Pharmacy until retirement.  Marvin enjoyed golfing, gardening, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

He is survived by his loving wife, Suzanne, who cared for him ceaselessly until the end; daughter, Connie Keator of Cross Plains, WI; son, James (Margaret) of Eau Claire; granddaughter, Cynthia Christofferson-Catlin (Chad) of Oregon, WI; grandson, Samuel (Jamie) Koerner of St. Paul, MN; grandson-in-law, Steve Davies of Mt. Horeb, WI; great grandchildren, Justin Simpson of Oregon, WI, Amanda Davies (Matt Phan) of Minneapolis, MN, and Peter Davies of Mt. Horeb, WI, and new great-granddaughter born Feb 21, 2014, Willow Rose Koerner of St. Paul, MN; brother, Noah, Jr. (Carol) of Green Bay; 19 nieces and nephews; many other relatives and friends.

Marvin was preceded in death by his brothers, Norman, Sr., Elmer "Katz", and Lester who died in infancy; sister, Ruth; and granddaughter, Angela (Christofferson) Davies.