Marvin Edward Jenkins  1919-2008
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Marvin Edward Jenkins 1919-2008, 88 years old, of St George, Utah,
passed away peacefully at his home on Sunday, September 14, 2008 from
complications of a recent illness.  He was born October 23, 1919, to
David Abbott Jenkins and Evelyn Irene Thorstenburg in Blackfoot, Idaho.
When Marvin was one year old the Jenkins family, including his older
sister Ruth Jenkins, moved to Salt Lake City where he was raised, except
for a few years spent in Los Angeles, California.  Marvin attended East
High School, where he was a quarterback on the football team, and
Westminster College in Salt Lake City.  In the summer of 1941, Marvin's
dad, who was then the mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah had the
responsibility of escorting the "Days of '47" pageant queen, Noma Andrus
of St George, Utah, to an official function.  Upon arriving home that
night Marvin's mother woke him and told him they had met the girl they
wanted him to marry.  On October 11, 1941, Marvin and Noma were married
and later sealed together in the St George, Utah, LDS Temple.  Through
the years he often referred to her as his queen.  Marvin's wife and four
children were the center of his life.  Marvin developed a love for speed
through his father who became part of racing history, especially that
associated with the Bonneville Salt Flats.  He was always a part of his
father's many world-record setting runs, served as his relief driver in
some of the later efforts, and also set speed records of his own.  In
terms of his career, Marvin became a Western Airlines pilot at the age of
21 and the youngest captain at the age of 24.  However, for most of his
career he flew for private concerns.  He also owned and operated various
businesses including a retail clothing store.  He and Noma retired and
moved to St George in 1982.  At the age of 61 he literally built their
retirement home with the aid of family members.  In 1991, through
negotiations with the state of Utah, he reclaimed his father's race car,
the Mormon Meteor III, from the state capital building and personally
restored the vehicle to its original running condition.  From then on his
desire was to promote the car along with its racing history in an effort
to honor his father and the heritage of which he was part.  Along the way
Marvin made many wonderful and lasting friends, but his closest and most
treasured friend was always his queen Noma.  Marvin is survived by his
wife, Noma Andrus Jenkins, and four children: Judith Evelyn Hadfield
(husband Bob) of Denver, Colorado; Jeri Noma Hansen (husband Lowell) of
St George, Utah; David Abbot Jenkins II (wife Paula) of Denver, Colorado;
and Charles Lewis Jenkins (wife Jayne) of College Station, Texas.  He is
also survived by 16 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.  Funeral
services will be held Saturday, September 20, 2008, at 11 a.m. at
Bloomington Hills 2nd Ward, 750 Ft. Pierce, St. George, Utah.  Visitation
will take place Friday, September 19, 6-7 p.m. at Spilsbury Mortuary, 110
South Bluff Street.  Interment will be in the Tonaquint Cemetery, St.
George, Utah.  Arrangements are made under the direction of Spilsbury
Mortuary, 110 South Bluff Street, St. George, Utah, (435) 673-2454.
Friends and family are invited to offer their condolences at
www.spilsburymortuary.com.  Click on the dove.  Derived from the Deseret
News obituaries section.  080917rparks