Marvin Tanner, Sr.
(August 16, 1917 - September 13, 2012)
 

   U.S. Navy, 1942-1946

Funeral services will be held on Friday, September 21, 2012 at Evergreen United Methodist Church in Evergreen, Louisiana, at 11:00 a.m. for Mr. Marvin Tanner, who went to be with the Lord on September 13 at the age of 95. Visitation will be at the church one hour before the service. Burial with Military Honors will follow at the Bayou Rouge Cemetery under the direction of Melancon Funeral Home, Bunkie.

Mr. Tanner was born and raised in Evergreen, Louisiana, to Willie and Flavilla Tanner. He attended Northwestern State Normal College where he graduated as class valedictorian in 1934. Following graduation, he began his teaching career at Moreauville High and later taught Biology and Chemistry at Evergreen High School until 1942. In July of that same year, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy serving as Communications Officer and was honorably discharged in March of 1946 from his role as Executive Officer on the USS Edison. Later, Mr. Tanner completed his Master's degree in Library Science at Louisiana State University and was responsible for the creation of libraries in the various camps at Angola Prison. In December of 1948 he married his beloved wife, Emma Eugenia Howes in Ponchatoula, Louisiana, and remained faithfully married for nearly 63 years.  After serving as the librarian at Bunkie High School for ten years, he was named principal of Evergreen Elementary School in 1958 and remained there until his retirement in 1976.

In addition to his education responsibilities and raising a family of six children, Mr. Tanner was the treasurer at Evergreen United Methodist Church where he also taught Adult Sunday School for several years. He was preceded in death by his wife Emma Eugenia (Jean), his brother Willie (Dub) Tanner, Jr., and two sisters, Villa Mathieu of Evergreen, Louisiana, and Sallye Toniette of Sulphur, Louisiana .

Survivors include five daughters, Susan (Jim) Hawthorne, Sara (Roger) Cyr, Sally (Rick) Namie, Sandra (Dale) Ballew, Sherrie (Randy) Smith, and one son, Marvin (Kathleen) Tanner, along with fourteen grandchildren, Sara, Luke, Will and Ben, children of Susan and Jim; Roger and Rachel, children of Sara and Roger; Josiah, son of Sally and Rick; Chesley, daughter of Sandra; Steven and Heather, children of Sherrie and Randy; and Daniel, Matthew, Sam, and Joe, sons of Marvin and Kathleen.

The family wishes to express heartfelt appreciation to the staff of the Visiting Nurses Association of Mansfield, Ohio and to MedCentral Hospice of Mansfield , Ohio.  Their care, kindness, and compassion allowed his final wishes to be honored.

melanconfunerals.com

Pelican footnote:

Mr. Marvin Tanner, long-time educator and Evergreen area native, became the first principal of Evergreen Elementary School when the high school was closed after EHS burned down on Valentine's Day, 1958.

Please click here for Mr. Tanner on the far left assisting with the preps of the king and queen (1990).

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