Marvin Eugene Lash

Marvin was born on May 16th, 1933 to Walter Clinton Lash and Kathryn Elizebeth Lash in Willard, Ohio. Willard was a railroad town with multiple rail lines and a service depot. As a young boy, Marvin took an interest in trains and railroads. His appreciation for trains continued through out his life. Years before high school and joining the Air Force Marvin, began a life that had a major component of service. As a ten year old boy he would help the soldiers traveling through Willard on troop trains during World War II. Since the soldiers were restricted to the cars as the trains stopped in town for water and coal he helped soldiers get liquid refreshments by making beer runs to the local bar. Every one seemed to be happy as the soldiers got their refreshments, the bar sold extra beer, and Marvin got to keep the change. Well, everyone was happy except his parents. So this initial phase of Marvin's community service ended somewhat abruptly.

After graduating from Willard High School in 1951, Marvin spent a year working in the communications shop of the local military depot. He then joined the Air Force and following basic training at Sampson AFB he was assigned to the communications shop at a remote radar tracking site in Alaska. While there he also served as an unofficial chaplain's assistant and visited other remote radar sites. However, the tour must have been long and lonely as he swore never to return to Alaska and came home to marry his high school sweetheart, Harriet Gertrude Haley in 1954. Marvin and Harriet began their married lives together in Enid, OK. After a couple of years they returned to Ohio when Marvin was honorably discharged from the Air Force as a Staff Sergeant. A year later Marvin entered Ashland College, worked part time, and adjusted to life with his first son, Thomas Allen, born in 1956. Graduating from college with a degree in business in 1961 Marvin began his long career in the petrochemical business, just as he planned. By now he and Harriet had their second son, Michael Edward, born in 1958. Their third son came along in 1967. Tom and Mike offered up their own middle names, settling on Allen Edward. However, Marvin sometimes referred to him as "67 Mustang."

Through the years Marvin's career continued in the petrochemical business although it included a number of different assignments including gasoline retailing, fertilizers, propane, and lubricants. Starting with Marathon and then Sohio, Marvin spent most of his career with Unocal until he retired, although the company had changed names from Pure and Union 76. Some years later Unocal

merged with Chevron. Over the years Marvin enjoyed the industry and the many people in it. He loved working with people, winning numerous sales promotions, and arranging a number of industry conventions. Later, following retirement Marvin also enjoyed his Unocal retirees group. During his work years he traveled a great deal and also took full advantage of the opportunities to see the local sights. He even liked to refer to himself as a "professional tourist."

In 1977 Marvin and family received what they thought would be yet another three or four year assignment; this time to Houston, TX. They bought a house, joined Lakewood UMC while it was still meeting at Hancock Elementary School, and stayed in Houston even after Marvin retired in 1992. The many company transfers weren't all that much fun, but Marvin and his family enjoyed traveling for vacations and visiting relatives. Marvin and Harriet especially cruising the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and even Alaska. Ironically, after many years of avoiding it, Alaska became a favorite place to visit.

Marvin enjoyed his Sunday school class, Serendipity outings, and dinners with the men's group at Lakewood UMC. He ushered for many years until he couldn't quite keep up. For years he also volunteered for the Gathering Place and the annual garage sales. Even in his later years he would continue as a greeter for the events. Marvin served in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for 20 years. He taught safe boating and seamanship classes to the public as well as personal finance classes to active duty Coast Guard personnel. He performed ship inspections and flew as an observer over the Houston ship channel. Marvin was a qualified flight observer into his early 80s. Water activities were always a passion with Marvin from fishing and boating in the streams and lakes in Ohio as a boy to boating and fishing in Georgia, Canada, and Lake Livingston. When his sons were home, water skiing was always a passion. Over the years Marvin noticed that the boat kept getting better gas mileage. It seems that each year when everyone was tired after a full day of skiing the boat's gas tanks had more remaining fuel than they did the previous year.

Marvin is survived by his wife, Harriet, and his three sons, Tom, Mike, and Allen, and their wives Terri, Becky, and Susan. Marvin is preceded in death by his sister, Marlene, and her husband, Dr. Larry Willey.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Lakewood United Methodist Church's funds for The Gathering Place and their Music Program.  Marvin was very active in Gathering Place which is a program of respite care for dementia patients and their care givers.  The Lakewood UMC music program was always a favorite of Marvin's.