Marvin William Lafollette

Marvin W. LaFollette, 89, died Sunday, November 24, 2013 at Wamego Health Center. He had been a resident at Westy Care Center, Westmoreland, for the last two years. He was born November 11, 1924 at home outside Union City, Oklahoma. He was the son of William and Lorene (Keever) LaFollette of El Reno, Oklahoma. He graduated from El Reno High School. Marvin married Zella Fogg in Wichita, Kansas and they were married over fifty years. They lived in Wellington, Kansas until he joined the Kansas Highway Patrol on July 5, 1955. Marvin wore badge K119 and was stationed at Arkansas City, Osage City and Wamego from 1959 until 1968. He was promoted to Sergeant and spent two years in Colby, Kansas. He returned to Manhattan finishing his service there retiring February 17, 1984. During his service he worked many KSU football and basketball games and was a driver for Governor Dockings wife. He attended classes thru the Patrol at Kansas University in Lawrence. After retirement he worked eight years as a Park Ranger at Tuttle Creek Reservoir. He joined the Masons in Wellington, Kansas and was a member of Masonic Lodge Lafayette #16 in Manhattan, the Isis Shrine of Salina and belonged to the Scottish Rite. He always enjoyed being the Pink Gorilla with the Shriner’s in many parades. Marvin was an avid bird hunter and fisherman and also enjoyed training bird dogs for himself and friends. He was also a very good skeet and trap shooter. He and Zella loved dancing and attended dances their entire lives. In their later years they enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and Europe with friends. Marvin was preceded in death by his wife, parents and sister, Evelyn Golden. He is survived by his daughters: Dalene Eichem and husband BJ of Wamego, Jan Carl and husband Charles of Cuyahoga Falls, OH; sister: Wendy Glover and husband Clint of Arlington, TX; four grandchildren: Kelli (Jim) Foster and Jason Carl of Ohio, Chris Eichem (Amy Walquist) of Wamego and Angie (LTC Jim) DeLapp, of Florida; great-grandchildren: Olivia, Will and Emma Foster of Ohio and Gabe, Sophia and Luke DeLapp of Florida; one step-great-grandson: Dustin (Ashley) Delehanty of Manhattan and several nieces and nephews. A celebration of Marvin’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Saturday, December 7, 2013, at the Stewart Funeral Home, Wamego. Family will greet friends during a visitation from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., Friday at the funeral home. A private family inurnment will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Wamego or the Alzheimer’s Association and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home, PO Box 48, Wamego, KS 66547.