Marvin E Erdmann

Marvin E. Erdmann, 83, Bismarck, died January 30, 2014, at St. Alexius Medical Center, Bismarck. A memorial service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, February 1, at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Bismarck, with Rev. Tim Johnson officiating. Burial will be held in the spring at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery, Mandan. Marvin Elmer was born July 1, 1930, in Milwaukee, WI, the son of Walter and Lenora Woldt Erdmann. He graduated from Rufus King High School in 1948 and was planning on attending college to become a veterinarian when his father died. Marv continued to work at the grocery store where he started at age 14, so he could help provide for his family. He later became store manager and continued in the grocery business where he eventually ended up working for Super Valu in Minneapolis as a field representative in July of 1963. In 1969 he was promoted to sales manager in Minneapolis, 1973 was appointed to vice president of the Minneapolis division of Super Valu. In 1977, he was promoted to the president and CEO of the Bismarck division where he served until his retirement in 1996. Marv was drafted in to the US Army in 1951, served in Korea where he received the Bronze Star along with many other honors. He was honorably discharged in 1953. He married Lois Yellick on April 14, 1951, in Milwaukee. After retirement, Marv and Lois started Meriwether's Restaurant in 1990 and were one of the owners' of the Lewis & Clark Riverboat. He retired from Meriwether's in 2001. Among Marv's professional and community involvement, he was part of the ND Grocer's Association, first chair couple of the Bismarck Folkfest, and the first president of Neighbors Network. He was also honored to be appointed to President Bush's Business Roundtable on Education, recipient of the Martin Luther King Award for North Dakota, recipient of the National Grocers Spirit of America Award, and the first recipient of the Bismarck Tribune Awards Honoring Individuals for Outstanding Community Service. Marv is survived by his devoted wife, Lois of Bismarck; two sons, Mark Karter, Karen of Lake Mills, WI, and Scott Kevin Ann of Maple Grove, MN, and one daughter, Kim Robin Erdmann Bergley Rick of Moorhead, MN; three grandsons, Joshua Erdmann of Brainerd, MN, and Travis Erdmann of Seattle, WA, Zachary Bergley, Moorhead, MN; and six granddaughters, Nicole Hector Reyes of Mpls., MN, Jaime Chris Durheim of Cottage Grove, WI, Stephanie Erdmann of Eau Claire, WI, Emily Erdmann of Lake Mills, WI, Kendall Lucas Raatz of Mankato, MN, and Heather Paavo Rasmussen of Sioux Falls, SD; and eight great-grandchildren, Nora, Ava, Bella, Freida, Autumn, Genesis, Scarlett and Oliver; special cousin, Dorothy Zastrow; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Walter; and his sisters, Delores Albert and Marjorie Baertlein. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 106 Osage, Ave, Bismarck, ND, 58501.

Marvin E Erdmann

July 1, 1930 - January 30, 2014