Marvin N. Kragt, age 99, of 101 Easy Street, Prosser WA, died on Saturday, June 15, at his home. His Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, June 29, at 1 p.m. at Bethany Community Church in Grandview, with Pastor Mike Clark and Pastor Jim McGown officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date.
Marvin was born on March 30, 1925 in Holland MI to Nelson H. Kragt and Geneva (Romeyn) Kragt. He was a 1943 graduate of Holland High School and served as a Sergeant in the Army Medical Corps from 1944 to 1946. Marvin attended Hope College in Holland, and he received a B.A. Degree in Biology in 1949. He was granted his M.S. in Microbiology, Bacteriology, and Public Health in 1951 from Michigan State University.
He worked in the food industry for 41 years, retiring from the J.M. Smucker Company in 1992. He was active in food plant management and technical services. He held numerous offices in the Institute of Food Technologists and the American Society of Quality Assurance. Upon retirement he provided consulting services in sanitation and management practices for major food companies within the United States and Mexico.
Marvin was an active member of Christ United Church of Christ in Orrville OH and Bethany Community Church in Grandview WA. He served as an Elder, Deacon, and Trustee, was on numerous committees, and taught an adult Sunday school class and a men’s Bible study. He was also an active member of a Bulgarian Medical Mission group.
Marvin married Elizabeth M. Weaver in Williston Park NY in 1949, and they were married 53 years. Elizabeth died in 2002. In 2005, Marvin married Nancy Champion in Grandview WA. They celebrated 19 years of marriage on May 28, 2024.
Marvin is survived by his wife Nancy, three daughters and sons-in-law, Judi and Gary Rutledge of Worthington OH, Linda and Don Bilderback of Dalton OH, Diane and Rick Griffin of Cleveland OH, and step-children Kelly Champion of Prosser WA and David and Judy Champion of Grandview WA. Marvin is also survived by one sister Norma Van Loo and sister-in-law Bev Kragt of Holland MI. Grandchildren include Tim Rutledge, Andrew Rutledge, Laura Brownlee, Paul Bilderback, Elizabeth Griffin, Sarah Griffin, as well as five great-grandchildren, 10 step-grandchildren, 16 step-great grandchildren, and one step-great-great grandchild.