Marvin Arnold Dyshaw, 92, of Grimes, Iowa, formerly of Canby, MN, peacefully passed away on December 24, 2023, with his son Mark at his side. Funeral service will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, January 2, 2024, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Canby with Rev. Levi Bollerud officiating. Visitation will be Tuesday one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will be in the Florida Lutheran Cemetery, rural Canby. Houseman Funeral Home, Birk Chapel in Canby is entrusted with the arrangements.
Marvin was born on December 3, 1931, the only child of Theodore and Clarice (Hanson) Dyshaw in Gluek, MN. He finished his final year of high school in 1949 in Canby, MN, living with Wallace and Violet Hanson, Francis (Buck) Hanson, and matriarch Alma Hanson on the family farm after moving there from Maynard, where he had lived with his mother and father until his father passed away from a farm accident. Marvin studied for a year and a half at Gustavus Adolphus College, then enlisted in the Army infantry division for two years during the Korean War, serving his country in Frankfurt, Germany, as an intelligence analyst (mapping). Following an honorable discharge in 1957, Marvin returned to Gustavus Adolphus, finishing his second year, then transferred to DeVry Institute of Technology in Chicago, studying computer technology, landing a job with IBM, and kickstarted a 30-year career. Marvin married Carolyn Mae Johnson (deceased) in Montevideo, Minnesota, in 1957, and the couple made their home in Downers Grove, IL, rearing three children, Renee, Alison, and Mark. Following Carolyn’s death from a car accident in 1972, Marvin met and married Ada (Wassenaar) Liska in 1979 at Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Downers Grove, where Marvin was a founding member. The blended family moved to Woodridge, IL, joining Ada’s two children, Lisa (Smith) and David (Liska.) Marvin retired from IBM in 1987, spending his time between Woodridge and the couple’s second home in Florida, where he loved to feed the birds and flowers in his yard, tinker in his garage workshop, and record memories on his computer. In a word, Marvin loved to ‘tinker.’ He could fix nearly anything and used his carpentry gifts to build additions to their home in Florida, where he and Ada spent time with friends and family who often visited. Creating digital family memories from the many videos and pictures he took are treasured gifts that Marvin lovingly created for his children. Marvin loved everything Norwegian and often wore a sweatshirt, proudly displaying his Norwegian heritage. He and Ada visited his family’s homeland during their many travels after retirement. His pet companions were dear to him. Kitty, otherwise known as “spoiled rotten!” has stayed behind with Ada, but canine Scamper is now on a long walk with him. Marvin was a principled man of integrity, quietly living the teachings of Christ. He could often be seen reading and writing notes in his well-worn bible, where he tucked pictures of his children to hold as he prayed.
Marvin is survived by his wife, Ada (Wassenaar-Liska); three children and their spouses, Renee Saxman (Arvid Fristad), Alison Powers (son-in-law Craig Powers), and Mark Dyshaw (Jennifer); two stepchildren and spouses, David Liska (Ellen) and Lisa Smith (William); 18 grandchildren, Eric Saxman, Matthew Saxman, Scott Powers, Tom Powers, Kaleigh Dyshaw, Andrew Dyshaw, Emily Mohler, Abba Liska, Anna Grace Liska, and Sarah Liska, Bethany (Travis) Rodriguez, Abby Smith, Katie (Brice) Matthews, Nathan Smith, Tommy Smith, Megan Smith, Jazzy Smith, and Lily Mae Smith; and three great-grandchildren, Hadley Mohler, Rowan Mohler, and Leo Rodriguez. His parents and his first wife Carolyn predeceased Marvin. Evelyn Rodriguez, a great-grandchild, also preceded Marvin in death.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, an organization Marvin felt strongly about.
