William (Bill) Earl Marvel

William E. Bill Marvel

October 15, 1946 – January 12, 2024

William (Bill) Earl Marvel was born in Exeter, California on October 15, 1946 to Ruth and Dean Marvel. Following the war effort in California, the family moved back to Delta, Colorado where Bill graduated from Delta High School in 1964.

Bill had a three year enlistment in the US Navy as a “Roof Rat” and Electronic Counter Measures Operator over Vietnam, where he enjoyed the landings and take-offs on aircraft carriers. He said, “I was a 17 year old kid having fun, I didn’t know you could get killed out there.”

After military service, Bill was a dispatcher for 10 years with the Montrose Office of the Colorado State Patrol. He then began his career with the US Postal Service as a Montrose letter carrier, where he worked his way up to Postmaster and completed his 23 year postal career as Postmaster at Eckert, CO.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Dean and Ruth Marvel of Delta, and his older brother Ray Marvel of Hotchkiss, CO. One of Bill’s proudest moments in life was leading his parents to the Lord and baptizing them into Jesus Christ.

Bill is survived by Gail, his wife of over 53 years, daughter Leslie (Marvel) Jones and husband Tim of Lakewood, CO; son Troy Marvel and wife Heather and grandchildren David and Lydia Marvel, all of Montrose; younger brother Jim Marvel of Ammon, Idaho; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A longtime member of Montrose Christian Church, as well as a founding member of Christ’s Church of the Valley in Montrose, Bill served as an elder in both congregations.

Included in his social circle was the local Woodworkers Guild, the Wood Turners Guild, as well as the DAV Rifle Team…where during the three volley (gun) salute these retired vets were known to occasionally be out of sync, “OK, who pulled their trigger late?”

To some, Bill’s passing may have seemed sudden. However, to his oncologist, Doctor Steven Emmons and radiologist, Doctor Douglas Rock, he is a success story having triumphed over metastasized prostate cancer for over 25 years. Bill wasn’t necessarily ready to die, but he always looked forward to going home to be with the Lord.

The memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 20, 2024, at Christ’s Church of the Valley, 10 Hillcrest Plaza Way, Montrose Colorado. The service will conclude at the church. Cremation has taken place and a private interment will be held at Cedar Cemetery for the family. Funeral arrangements have been made with Crippin Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers please feel free to send cards to the family, or it would please Bill if donations were made to an entity whose purpose is to spread the Gospel Message.

If you can’t join us in person, you can join us online on Facebook.com/ccvmontrose or Youtube

https://youtube.com/@christschurchofthevalley8641?si=Q3xGThFawi1_FOuC