Dr. Marvin H. Dill

Marvin Hannah “Merf” Dill, 95, of Huntington, WV, passed away December 17 at the Wyngate in Barboursville, WV. Merf was born September 12, 1919, in Cass, WV, a son of the late Ernest Orville Dill and Rosa Belle Sensabaugh. He is also predeceased by his wife of 55 years, Sue H. Dill. Merf graduated from Green Bank High School, class of 1937; Marshall University, class of 1941 with a major in social studies; University of Louisville Dental School with a DMD in 1950. He enlisted in the Navy in February 1942. He served as a naval aviator and flying patrol bomber seaplanes (PBY Catalina) and flew PBM Mariner seaplanes that hunted subs, covered convoys, and flew reconnaissance. He served until 1945 when he was honorably discharged with the rank of Lieutenant JG. After dental school he came to Huntington where he was issued a license to practice dentistry by the West Virginia Board of Dental Examiners in 1950, and he continued practicing dentistry until his retirement in 1985. He was a past president of the Huntington Dental Society in 1964 and a member of the West Virginia Dental Association and the American Dental Association. He was a devoted fan of Marshall University football and basketball and has been a season ticket holder since 1951. He volunteered as team dentist for various Marshall athletic programs in 1952 and continued until his retirement. Merf became a Big Green member when Herb Royer was coach. He was asked by Coach Perry Moss to examine 90+ members of Marshall’s football team. He spent a Saturday and Sunday charting the dental health on each player. Ironically he spent nearly a week using those records to help identify members of the Marshall football family who perished in the plane crash on November 14, 1970. Merf was inducted into the Marshall University Sports Medicine Hall of Fame on February 16, 2008. He was a longtime member of the Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church. Merf was an avid fisherman, enjoying many streams including Leatherbark in Pocahontas County, the south branch of the Potomac, and Grand Lake Stream in Maine. Survivors include three daughters; Rebecca D. Sturm (Mace), Marsha Dilley (Jack) and Anne Ramell (Rick), grandchildren; Brency Huffman (Chuckie), Alan M. Sturm, II (Sarah), Courtney Conkright (Mike), Andrew Ramell, Amy Ramell, Allison Ramell, step-grandchildren; Elizabeth Porter (Nic), Mary Ellen Winters (Jeremy), great-grandchildren; Lydia Joy Sturm, Cayden Dean Sturm. He is also survived by his sister, Marie Gragg; a sister-in-law Elizabeth Winn and several nieces and nephews. Merf was a devoted husband, father, uncle, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend to many. The family would like to thank the staff at Wyngate for their love and support during his three years as a resident. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Big Green Scholarship Fund, Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church, or Hospice of Huntington. Funeral service will be held at 11:00 A.M., Saturday, December 20 at Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church by Rev. Jack Lipphardt. Visitation will be from 10:00 A.M. until 11:00 A.M. Burial will follow at Ridgelawn Memorial Park.