Obituary of Marvin Benjamin Blacklaw

Marvin began his life in Vernon, BC. His family had moved there so his father could train and take part in WWII. After the war was over and his dad back home, the family moved to Lac La Hache and then onto Quesnel. We are not sure how old he was when they settled here but know that he attended high school at Cariboo Junior High School.

Marvin lost his father in 1958 when he was only 15 and that was extremely hard on the family.  After high school Marvin went back to Vernon to take part in what we understand was the Army Cadets. He received a letter of commendation in 2005 (60 years after WWII was over) thanking him for his service.

Before coming back to Quesnel and starting work for Ernst Sawmill (Tolko) in January 1971, he also went to Whitehorse and worked for KFC. Later that year he married Jean MacDonald and became dad to her three young sons Chuck, Joe and Scott MacDonald and moved to 482 Elm Street. In January 1972, the twins (Tanya and Ben) joined the family, and their family was complete. Other than taking vacations away he never left Quesnel.

Along with working at the mill, Marvin enjoyed playing hardball, fastball, slo-pitch and curling - all while supporting his family’s sporting pursuits. The boys played hockey and rodeo for Tanya. Marvin enjoyed camping trips with family & friends, fishing Quesnel Lake and in the Chilcotin. Salmon Valley music festivals and BC Senior Games became annual events as well as Blue Jay ball games and Provincial and National Curling Bonspiels.

Marvin had lost his mother Olive in 1980, his sister Shirley in 1999 and then his brother Stuart in 2017. After losing his wife Jean in 2014, Marvin’s life slowed down. But he still managed a few trips to Alberta to visit Tanya and Greg, continued bowling, lunching with old buddies and loved dinners offered up at his kids’ homes. Unfortunately, in 2022 he was admitted to G.R. Baker Hospital and was not able to come home. He moved into Dunrovin Park Lodge and lived there until his passing.

CELEBRATION OF LIFE

Saturday, September 28^th, 2024

At 2:00 pm

Clayton’s Funeral Chapel

582 Front Street

Quesnel, BC

Dinner will be held after at Ben and Amy’s

465 Elm Street (across from Marvin and Jean’s old home)

Marvin is survived by his:

Daughter:                      Tanya (Greg) Blacklaw

Sons:                           Ben (Amy) Blacklaw, Chuck (Terrilynn) MacDonald,

                                    Joe (Jenylyn) MacDonald, Scott MacDonald

Sister-in-law:                 Pat (Gord) Plews

Brothers-in-law:             Tim (Patty) Spooner and Tom (Janet) Spooner

Grandchildren:               Aaron (Amber), Joey (Josie), Terry, Kendra (Kyle), Jeliza (Chris), Jessica (Dean), Justin, Brantin, Tylaya, Lynnzie, Matthew, Kali, Linden

Great-Grandchildren:      Presley, Piper, Rhett, Ryah, Trace, Crystoria, Gracelynn

                                    Numerous nieces and nephews

Marvin is predeceased by his:

Wife:                              Jean Blacklaw

Parents:                         Ben and Olive Blacklaw

Brother:                          Stuart Blacklaw

Sister:                            Shirley Chouinard

Mother & Father-in-law:    Anne and Rob Spooner

Sisters-in-law:                 Judy King and Leona Blacklaw

Brother-in-law:                 Robert Spooner

Nephews:                       Steve Spooner, Randy Chouinard, and Henry Chouinard

The Blacklaw, MacDonald and Spooner families would like to thank everyone who touched Marvin’s life, especially in the last two difficult years. Thank you to the staff at Dunrovin who cared for Marvin.