Marvel Will Burwick

Marvel Will Burwick, 87, Bismarck, passed away at 2:05 AM on June 22, 2005, with family in attendance, after suffering with Alzheimer's. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, June 25, at 2:30 PM at Evangel Temple in Bismarck. Burial will be at Fairview Cemetery. Visitation will be Friday from 2:00 PM - 9:00 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM at Eastgate Funeral Service in Bismarck. Visitation will continue Saturday one hour prior to the service at the church. On June 10, 1918 she was born Marvel Gladys Johnson to Odwin and Sina Brovold Johnson, in Minnesota. Her full Norwegian farm family moved during her youth to Barwick, Ontario, Canada. She was an excellent student with educational goals who graduated from 8th grade with honors and in adulthood attended North West Bible School in Kirkland, Washington, with her husband. As a young woman, Marvel traveled with her sisters, Ruth and Christine Johnson, as the Gospel Trio, an evangelistic team. While ministering in a church in Wolf Point, Montana, she met Reuben Wilhelm Will and married him on March 8, 1940 at International Falls, Minnesota. After Reuben graduated, the couple settled in Dickinson, North Dakota. They started both the Dickinson and New England Assembly of God churches and ministered there for decades along with a radio broadcast. Marvel blessed her husband's ministry in music, food and hospitality. In addition, this hard-working lady was a property developer and inn keeper, managing a variety of real estate enterprises until her retirement in the 1980s when she and Reuben moved to Bismarck, North Dakota. After Reuben passed away in 1992, Marvel married Harvey Burwick of Dickinson, North Dakota on August 7, 1994. They resided in Bismarck. Since November of 2001, Marvel has lived at the Missouri Slope Lutheran Care Center. Marvel enjoyed any activity involving her church and faith above all. She was efficient at all her endeavors, but is well known for her ample cooking, gardening and decorating during her working life. She traveled often to visit her six children and their families in the many states they lived in. Bidding her a beloved and honored farewell are her husband, Harvey of Bismarck, six children and three step-children: Vernon R. Will of Phoenix, Arizona, and his three sons Douglas, David and Daniel; Phyllis Will Oxentenko of Bismarck and her three children, Sheree Wesley, Shellae Backman, and Dr. Shawn Oxentenko; Roger Will and wife Edie of Bismarck and their three children, Darcie Leeseberg, Cory and Darin Will; Ruth Will Vesanen and husband Joel of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and their three daughters, Anja, Natasha, and Mia Vesanen; Faye Donovan of Cleveland, Ohio, and her three daughters, Melissa Robinson, Courtney and Angela Donovan; and Lori Will Mueller Weisz and her husband Robin of Hurdsfield, North Dakota, and their two sons, Robert and Ryan Weisz; Doug Burwick and wife Linda of Springfield, Missouri; Rick Burwick and wife Monica of Lawrence, Kansas; and Kim Burwick of Springfield, Missouri; seventeen great-grandchildren: Sarah, Connor and Ethan Will; Andrew, Nicholas and Natasha Wesley; Tatianna, Arianna and Tanner Backman; Evan and Isaac Oxentenko; Brandon and Savannah Will; Brooke and Josiah Will; Jora Leeseberg; and John Robinson; five step and ten great-step grandchildren; and one sister-in-law Vivian Johnson of Missoula, Montana. Marvel was preceded in death by her first husband, Reuben Will; her parents and all of her siblings including her sisters, Ruth and Christine Johnson, and her brothers, Orville, Howard and Arnold Johnson; and two sons-in-law, Cordell Oxentenko and Rodney Mueller. Marvel is now rejoicing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and reunited with many loved ones who have gone before.

Marvel Will Burwick

June 10, 1918 - June 22, 2005