John Marvelle Feller (2010)

FELLER, THOMPSON, DOWNING, ZELLERS, GROVE, GANOE, PATERSON

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber (email)
Date: 1/8/2020 at 10:02:26

Earlham Advocate
Earlham, Iowa

John Marvelle Feller was born the son of John Vallie and Emma Marguerite (Thompson) Feller at the family farmstead in rural Dallas County, Iowa on October 31, 1913. Marvelle, as he was best known, died at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa on February 1, 2010 at the age of 96 years, 3 months and 1 day.

Marvelle graduated from Redfield High School and started working at the Redfield Brick and Tile plant. Marvelle and Betty Downing were married January 29, 1936 at the Christian Church parsonage in Redfield, Iowa. He started farming and continued as a life-long farmer in the area. He also was a DeKalb Seed Corn salesman for 49 years. Marvelle was a member of the Redfield Methodist Church. He loved to lay cards at the Legion Hal ad visit with friends. Marvele was the last surviving witness to the Bonnie and Clyde shoot-out near his parents farm north of Dexter. At gunpoint Clyde Barrow ordered Marvelle to carry Bonnie, who was wounded, to the Feller family 1929 Plymouth car, which they stole as part of their get-a-way plan.

Marvelle is survived by his children: Elaine (Bob) Zellers of Prescott, AZ; Harold (Doris) Feller of Dexter; Laree (Jean) Feller of Redfield; Joan (Glenn) Grove of Council Bluffs, IA; Shirley (Larry) Ganoe of Redfield; 12 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren, numerous other family members and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Betty, sister Louise Paterson and brother-in-law Bruce Paterson, and nephew Jerry Paterson.

Funeral services were held at 10:30 a.m. February 5 at the Redfield Methodist Church in Redfield. Pastor Dave Kruse officiated, and Linda Chance was the organist. Special music was “Grandpa, Tell Me ‘Bout The Good Old Days” and “Wind Beneath My Wings.” The congregational hymn was “Amazing Grace.” Pallbearers were Marc Feller, Phillip Ganoe, Steven Feller, Brad Zellers, Curtis Ganoe and Brian Zellers. Honorary pallbearers were Dana Feller, Christie Howard, Stacey Feller, Heidie Grove-Tosaka, Katie Phippen and Tiffanie Mourn. Interment was at East Linn Cemetery in rural Redfield.