PRIMUS, Marion B. 1906-1979

PRIMUS, SIEMENS, BARR

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 12/18/2016 at 17:27:59

Marion Primus, Longtime Area Teacher, Dead

Marion B. Primus, age 72 years, 4 months and 18 days, died in Tucson, Arizona, the morning of March 30, 1979.

The son of Ben and Helen (Siemens) Primus, he was born November 12, 1906, at his parents' home on a farm south and west of Wellsburg, Iowa. He lived his youthful life at this place attending Pine Creek rural school and graduating from the Wellsburg High School with the class of 1926. He graduated from Grundy College with the class of 1928, and then attended Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, completing his B.A. degree in history and languages in 1930.

On June 14, 1936 he was united in marriage to Dorothy Rena Barr at the Central Christian Church in Marshalltown, Iowa. They were privileged to celebrate 42 years of wedded life.

Nearly all his working life has been spent in the teaching profession. He taught in rural schools in Grundy County, public schools at Adel, Albia and Creston, Iowa. For the greater part of his teaching career he taught in Christian Schools serving as Principal at Sully Christian, Sully, Iowa, Timothy Christian, Wellsburg, Iowa, Excelsior Christian, Ackley, Iowa and West Cleveland Christian, Cleveland, Ohio.

During World War II his teaching career was interrupted while he served in the armed forces at Camp Roberts and at Fort Ord in California. At Fort Ord he was the only American interpreter in the German Prison Camp complex. He filled this responsible position capably using not only his knowledge of low German, but he learned high German and was able to carry on with no problems interpreting the languages with which he was so familiar.

Beginning the summer of 1960 he and his wife traveled to Grantsville, Maryland, where they became workers in the mountain program of Penn Alps and the Highland Association which are missionary efforts to aid the distressed peoples of the Allegheny Mountains. They conducted Bible Schools for 13 summers in abandoned country schools in the mountains and were loved by the people of the area.

He made public profession of his faith in Jesus Christ in the 1st Christian Reformed Church of Wellsburg, Iowa in 1929. Wherever he was he served in varying capacities in the church he attended - teaching Sunday School, catechism, leading societies and Bible Study groups.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Dorothy; brothers, Will, Steamboat Rock; George, Wellsburg; Lee, Minneapolis, Minnesota; sisters, Miss Anna Primus, Dumont; Mrs. Lily Mae Minium, Grand Junction; and a number of nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, Henry , Claus and John.

Funeral services were held on Tuesday, April 3, 1979 at 2:00 p.m. at the First Christian Reformed Church. Rev. Leslie Kuiper and Rev. Kasjen Tebben officiated at the services. Richard Schafer sang two selections. A hymn was also sung by the audience. Miss Elizabeth Eekhoff was organist. Flower attendants were Mrs. Gladys Eckhoff and Mrs. Grace Bettenga. Pall bearers were Claus G. Primus, Paul C. Primus, Herman Primus, Benjamin Primus, David Primus and Harlyn Riekena.

Doyen Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

--The Grundy Register/Wellsburg Herald (Grundy Center, Iowa), 5 April 1979, pg 13