Marvin 'Mutt' Leroy Towner, 74

Mutt went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 14, 2010, after a five-year battle with cancer.

The son of Ed and Rhoda Towner he was born in Buffalo, Okla., on Nov. 22, 1935. His dad named him Mutt and gave his brother, Gary the name of Jeff for the Mutt and Jeff cartoons.

His family left Oklahoma in the early ’40s — all loaded up and traveling in a beat up 1930s Ford pickup truck with all their possessions “tied on” — he use to say everything but the kitchen sink was tied on that old truck and there was barely room for all of them. They picked produce along the way first settling in Cripple Creek, Colo., for about a year and then arriving in Kellogg where Mutt started school in the sixth grade at Elk Creek School.

As a kid at Elk Creek he was the class “cut up” and “mischief maker” always talking and finding something to keep everyone laughing much to the chagrin of his teachers. He played basketball for the Elk Creek Bobcats and generally was the first one to foul out — probably because he was always laughing and talking. It was here that he formed so many lifetime friendships.

Mutt attended Kellogg High School graduating in 1954. He played basketball his freshman year and was a member of the Press Club his senior year. The fun and good times he had during high school he never forgot and would remember and reminisce about the rest of his life. During the summers of his high school years he would be found working at his uncle’s Mobile Gas Station in Spokane. This was back when gas stations were full service and he loved to tell the story that he only changed the oil in a car one time — when he put transmission fluid in instead of oil and goofed.

After graduating he and his best and lifelong friend John Edgar joined the Army together and off to Ft. Ord, Calif., they went. The Army decided to separate them after boot camp and Mutt was off to Germany for three years. It was there he had his first taste of Schnitzel — which he enjoyed from then on.

After his discharge from the Army he worked at the Ridpath Hotel in Spokane as a waiter and maitre d’ while attending Kinman Business School. He loved to tell about waiting on “Elvis Presley” there.

It was shortly after leaving Kinman he went to work for the Bunker Hill and was there in the Smelter until Bunker Hill closed.

He met and married his first wife, adopting her five children and then they together had one son. Shortly after this marriage ended he attended a Parent’s Without Partners group where he met the love of his life. He and Betty were married on March 20, 1976, and he was blessed with a stepdaughter Corene and stepson Calvin.

After the Bunker Hill closed Mutt joined Betty in operating “Betty & Ev’s Floral Shop” as their PR person. He loved to make deliveries and called himself “The Blooming Idiot.” In 2007 after 37 years they sold the business and retired. After retiring they enjoyed their trips to Hawaii, making new friends and enjoying fellowship there.

In 1964 he asked Jesus Christ to be his personal Savior and from that time on he lived to serve his Lord. Mutt was a people person who didn’t know a stranger and never forgot a friend. His greatest loves were his Lord Jesus Christ, his wife, children and his friends.

Mutt served as president of Sunset Commercial Club in Coeur d’Alene in the ’80s and was a charter member of Northwest Mended Hearts for which he visited heart patients and their families.

He was never bashful in witnessing for his Lord. His prayer is that all of his family and friends make heaven their home. He would tell you Jesus is coming soon.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, two brothers and a grandson.

He is survived by his wife, Betty at the home in Coeur d’Alene; two sons, Gary Towner of Coeur d’Alene, Calvin Huit and his wife, Kelly of Boise; one daughter Corene Jones and husband Mark of Sandpoint; granddaughter Karissa Towner and her life partner Matt Holt of Coeur d’Alene; two grandsons, James Jones of Sandpoint and Josh Swan of St. Maries; one great-grandson Hayden Holt of Coeur d’Alene and one sister Mary Lee Dean of Cobert, Wash.; and his foster brother, Dick Rust of Puyallup, Wash.; well as his five adopted children and their families.

Marvin was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend who walked his talk about his lord and his generous spirit has always shone to those in need. His family honors him for his Christian life. He will remain in our hearts forever until we can join him again.

The family wants to thank all those (doctors, nurses, hospice) who attended him and made his life more comfortable.

The family suggest any memorials be made to Hospice of North Idaho and/or Union Gospel Mission.

Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, 2010, and from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday, May 20, 2010, at English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene. The funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 21, 2010, at the Coeur d’Alene Church of the Nazarene. Burial will be at the Coeur d’Alene Memorial Gardens.

English Funeral Chapel, Coeur d’Alene, is in charge of the arrangements.

Please visit Marvin’s memorial and sign his online guest book at www.englishfuneralchapel.com.