Marvin Tennefoss

Candler, NC, Marvin Herman Tennefoss, age 83, died Friday, February 17, 2012 in Asheville, NC. Born in Aberdeen, Washington, to Marie Gjerde Tennefoss and John Jonson A. Tennefoss, he was raised in Melbourne, WA and graduated from Montesano, Washington high School. Marvin was valedictorian for his graduating high school class and selected Outstanding Student Graduate by the VFW in Montesano, Washington. Marvin Served in the U.S. Army. He then attended Grays Harbor Junior College for a year before enrolling at Stanford University, where he was a proud member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and graduated in 1953. Famed for his athletic prowess, Marvin was inducted into the Hall of Fame at both Montesano High School and Grays Harbor College. He played football on army teams, at Grays Harbor Junior College and at Stanford University, where he was a member of the Stanford football team that played in the Rose Bowl in 1952. A Stanford letterman in 1950, 1951, 1952 and 1954 draft choice of the Green Bay Packers, though he chose not to play professionally. After college, Marvin worked in retail sales, taught retail marketing at the community college level, and sold real estate based out of the San Francisco Bay Area and Aberdeen, Washington. After retirement, he moved the Santa Cruz, CA and then to Biltmore Lake, North Carolina. Marvin married Louise Lazarus in 1955 and 1966 he married Sally A. Tennefoss, who died in 1997. Marvin is survived by his wife of 10 years, Carolyn Gillio Tennefoss; a son, Michael Tennefoss, (Tina Seeling) of Portola Valley, California; three daughters, Lynn Tennefoss, (Johnny Moore ) of Missoula Montana, Nan Chrostek, (John) of Omaha, Nebraska, Joan DeVries Rossi, (Mark) of Lafayette, California; four stepchildren, Alan Baker, (Joy) of Meridian, Idaho; Paula Stenz of California, Mark Padilla, (Robin) of Virginia; and Julia Morley,(Tim) of Idaho; 8 grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; his brother, John Norman Tennefoss of Montesano, Washington. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 5, 2012 at the Lutheran Church –The Nativity in Arden, NC, with Reverend Dr. Mark Fitzsimmons officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to John F. Keever Solace Center, P.O. Box 25338, Asheville, NC 28813 or Stanford University Memorial Fund, 450 Serra Mall Stanford, CA 94305-2004.

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