Marvin Edward Barner Sr.

God, in His infinite mercy and wisdom called Marvin Edward Barner, Sr. home to be with the Lord on April 6, 2025. He passed peacefully at home. Marvin, affectionately known as daddy, grandpa and Poppi was born on September 13, 1938, in Akron, Ohio to Marie Elizabeth Dixson Veal and James Hayward Edwards, his biological parents but raised by Charles and Alice Barner. He graduated from Hower Trade school where he completed the Welding Program. During his senior year, he joined the US Army reserve and upon graduation he became active and spent the next 21 years all around the world in the army. He spent a significant amount of time in Europe and spoke German fluently. Marvin spent a tour in Vietnam and came home with a lot of stories. During his military career, he was a military police officer, field artillery sergeant, a food service director, NCO club manager. Marvin received several military medals, including a Bronze Star and a Combat Medal. After retirement in 1976 he lived in Clarksville, Tennessee. Marvin took a job at Trane and then the Tennessee Women’s prison. Moving back to Ohio in the 80’s, he began another career at the Department of Veterans Affairs where he was a supervisor for 15 years before retiring the second time. He didn’t’ stop there! He opened a barbeque trailer and sold ribs, he worked at budget rentals, he cleaned the rest areas on highway 77 for a company. He was very active with military organizations in the Akron area. He was a life member and officer at the VFW. He was a life member of TREA another military organization and the American legion.

Marvin was active in the community with the block club. He was a member of the Northside Club which is a club of people who group up in north Akron. He was also very close to his breakfast club friends that ate breakfast together daily before he moved to Columbus and even afterwards, he would still drive up when he could. He also played cards with his buddies all the time and went on casino runs with them. Marvin was a member of Mount Calvary Baptist Church. He would travel to wherever my brother’s church was to hear him preach and meet and greet church members who became his good friends, and they stayed in touch with him until he passed. Marvin had several nicknames as a child and as an adult. He was called Whistle britches because of his starched jeans, goodwill because he shopped there a lot as a kid, and as an adult, Weasel and Road Runner. He loved riding motorcycles and was in the Roadrunner motorcycle club in Nashville. He decked out his van and entered and won van show competitions. He just could not sit down so when he became ill, it was hard not being able to do all that he loved. He had to slow it down to sports, soap operas, news and westerns like Yellowstone and Grit television all day. Marvin was a diehard Pittsburgh Steelers fan. He truly lived his life.

Marvin will be remembered by his loving family and close friends. He was preceded in death by his childhood love and wife Nora Calmese Barner, first grandchild, Qiana Barner, both his adopted and biological parents and his favorite uncle, Ozzie Lee Edwards He leaves to cherish his life and legacy, his children, Carla, Tamarlin both in the Columbus, Oh area, Marvin Jr., (Paulnetta) from Chester, PA and Eric from Evansville, Indiana. Grandchildren, Shannon, India, Marquis, Christian, Kesha, Patrice, Taylor, Kaitlynn, Khyla, Ericka, Joshua, Brian and Isreal. Marvin had 19 great grandchildren and 3 great-great grandchildren, all whom he loved dearly. Marvin also leaves to cherish his memory his loving only sister, Marcia Veal Jones of Buffalo, NY, his aunt Addie Edwards of Camden, Arkansas, his son in law Karl E. Batson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, former wife and mother of his two sons, Bettye Kendricks and a host of nieces, and nephews. He had so many friends, there are too many to list. He was truly loved