Marvin Steffen

Marvin D. Steffen, 87, of Corning died Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2019, at the Oskaloosa Care Center.

Private graveside services will be held at Oak Hill Cemetery. Visitation with family present will be 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Corning Community Building, 601 6th Street. Memorials may be directed to the Corning Opera House. Online condolences may be left at www.pearsonfuneralhomes.

Marvin Dale Steffen, the son of Henry Benjamin and Blanche Larena (Clark) Steffen, was born May 25, 1932 in Griswold.

On November 20, 1954, Marvin married Donna Faye Pace in Orient.

Marvin graduated from the Griswold Public School with the class of 1950. Marvin worked at a shoe repair shop in Griswold during and beyond his school years. Marvin joined the United States Navy in Feb.1951 and was honorably discharged on Feb. 9, 1955.

Marvin received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Simpson College in 1959. He was high school teacher and coach from 1959 through 1964 at Ar-We-Va Community Schools in Westside and Vail. Marvin graduated from Kirksville State Teachers College with a Master of Arts degree in 1965. He was an elementary principal at the Corning Community Schools from 1965 through 1977. Marvin owned and operated Steffen’s Stemwinder Buffet & Grill in Corning from 1978 through 1991.

He was a member of the Corning Christian Church and the Corning American Legion. He served Corning on the City Council and as Corning’s Mayor for 23 years from 1980 to 2003. He was a member of the Adams County Economic Development Corporation Board of Directors from 1988 to 2000.

Marvin is survived by his children: Marva (Michael) Philipsen of Ottumwa; Bart (Tina) Steffen of Oskaloosa; siblings:Wayne Steffen of Greenfield, Mary (Bill) Davis of Glenwood, Henrietta Jane (Basil) Reppas of Cedar Falls, Janet (Paul) Martinez of Arvada Colorado; five grandchildren: Melinda (Chaitanya) Kotagiri of Farmington, Missouri, Dane Philipsen (Bridget Gongol) of Interlochen, Michigan, Desiree (Nyle) Claypool of Bondurant, Alexandrea (Boris) Ndoutoume of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Payten (John) Knowles of Melrose; three great-grandchildren; many nieces, nephews; other relatives and friends.

Preceding Marvin in death were his parents; wife Donna; siblings: Clark Steffen, Paul Steffen, Boyd Steffen, Aletha Acord and Lucy Guttau.