Marv was born on September 5, 1929, in Maloy, Iowa, the son of Cora Mae Weese and Thomas Walter Walston. He graduated in from the Conway Consolidated High School in 1947. He then attended Northwest Missouri State College from 1947-1951. He was baptized and confirmed in May of 1951, at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Maryville, Missouri. On June 4, 1951, Marv was united in marriage to Mary Frances Sherlock at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Maryville, Missouri. Also, in 1951, Marv entered the U.S. Army, serving during the Korean War with the 7th Army Division and 49th Field Artillery Battalion, and was honorably discharge in 1953. Following the service, the couple made their home in Des Moines where Marv worked as a service representative for Firestone Tire & Rubber Company from 1953-1956. They moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where he worked at Aetna Property & Casualty as a claims adjuster from 1957-1975.
In 1975, the couple moved to Waverly, Iowa, where Marv became an Independent Insurance Agent with Leslie Young Insurance Agency which later became Young & Walston, and then Walston-Dandy. In 1992, the firm became Walston-Davis-Byl Insurance Agency, and then became First Insurance Services (now known as the Accel Group).
Marv truly loved Waverly and all his special friends that he has made over the years. Marv has always been very active, starting the men’s over 30 basketball league in 1976, and in 1987, starting his annual Game Feeds, an event which is still happening. Marv was very active in Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce, and was always involved with numerous fund-raising committees throughout the community. In 2001, Marv and his nephew Gary Hoover where very instrumental in building the Walston-Hoover Stadium and Marv has always been a longtime supporter of Wartburg and helping to develop the Knight’s Booster Club. In 2007, Marv was inducted into the Waverly Heritage Days “Hall of Fame”. With all this said, one of Marv’s greatest passions was hunting, a passion he shared with many of his friends.
Marv was a faithful member of St. Mary Catholic Church in Waverly. Marv was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and friend to many.
He is survived by his two sons and their wives, Mike (Mary) Walston of Kewaunee, Wisconsin, Dave (Cathy) Walston of Waverly; six grandchildren, Amanda (Rich) DeGrave, Cassie (Ben) Ruoff, Betsy (Ryan) Roberts, Darcie Walston, Jamie (Heather) Schurbon, Brett (Misty) Schurbon; eleven great grandchildren, Aidan & Madeline DeGrave, Quinn, Eve & Clay Roberts, Lucy, Willa & Emelia Ruoff, Eli & Ethan Schurbon and Olivia Schurbon and sister, Elsie Preston of Lenox, Iowa. Marv is also survived by his special friends, Rich (Kathy) Curphey and family, Rick (Jayne) Hall and family, Dennis (Marcia) Haugen and family, and all his special friends he’s made over the years. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mary on July 17, 2011; 4 sisters and 5 brothers.
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