Marvin Thomason's Obituary
MARVIN AUSTIN THOMASON, SR. was born in Atlanta, GA on 11/15/1921 to Marvin Austin Thomason and Nancy Maude (Baker) Thomason and went home to be with the Lord on 12/4/2010 at the age of 89. He came to Memphis in 1949 and worked at Taylor Machinery (now Thompson Machinery) selling heavy equipment and pipeline equipment until his retirement in 1993. He continued to sell pipeline equipment to the oil industry traveling around the country and the length of the Alaska Pipeline for Sunbelt Tractor & Equipment Co., in College Station, TX, until 2 years ago when he could no longer work because of illness. Marvin served in the Pacific in the Marine Engineer Battalion of the 5th Marine Division during World War II. He was awarded a Bronze Star for heroic achievement during the battle of Iwo Jima where he was first on the beach, driving his bulldozer off the landing craft and into the battle creating roads for the advancing Marines. After the war, he moved to Chicago to work for one of his fellow Marines where he met and married Grace. They eventually moved to Atlanta and then to Memphis in 1949 where he lived until his death. He was predeceased by his wife, of 50 years, Grace Lucille Thomason, in 1986. He and Grace had two children, Gayle Leigh (Thomason) Myatt of Germantown, TN and Marvin Austin Thomason, Jr. (Gayle) of Travelers Rest, SC. He had 4 grandchildren, Leigh Myatt Campbell (Michael) and Christopher Michael Myatt (Elizabeth), all of Germantown, Marvin Austin Thomason III (Kim) of San Marino, CA and James Fox Thomason of Redwood City, CA and 9 great-grandchildren, David Austin Campbell, Jackson William Campbell, Hudson Michael Myatt, Grace Ann Myatt, William Christopher Myatt, all of Germantown, James “Fox” Thomason, Jr., Amelia Burns Thomason both of Redwood City, CA, Marvin “Austin” Thomason IV and Addison Noelle Thomason both of San Marino, CA. He is also survived by his wife, Sally Helveston Thomason and her son and two daughters. Marvin was a member of Independent Presbyterian Church. Any memorials may be sent to Independent Presbyterian Church. The family will receive friends from 3-4 p.m. Monday, December 6, with Services at 4 p.m., all at Memorial Park Mausoleum Rotunda. Memorial Park Funeral Home, “Behind the stone wall”, 901-767-8930. Condolences may be offered at www.MemorialParkOnline.com
What’s your fondest memory of Marvin?
What’s a lesson you learned from Marvin?
Share a story where Marvin's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Marvin you’ll never forget.
How did Marvin make you smile?