MARVIN, Richard “Dick”
was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, July 4, 1942, at Providence Hospital. His early years were shaped by the disruptions of the Second World War. While his father, Wendell Marvin, was in hospital in England recovering from battle wounds suffered during the Italian campaign service, Dick’s mother Elise, ran away with a CPR brakeman bound for Vancouver, leaving three-year-old Dick in the care of his paternal grandparents, Amos and Rose Marvin. As both were working full-time and raising teenage children, they were unable to care for Dick long term, and placed him in the care of the Sisters of St. Louis, at St. Louis College in Moose Jaw, where he lived until he was eight, visiting his grandparents once a month. In 1949, Dick moved to Regina to live with his father, and new stepmother, Neva Thornton. Wendell had begun working at the architectural firm of Van Egmond and Story, which he would eventually come to own, the firm becoming Marvin and Vanstone. On Sunday afternoons at his stepmother’s parents’ home—where play and conversation were discouraged—Dick and his father would sit at the dining room table copying the images of the great 20th century American illustrators whose work was found in magazines such as The Saturday Evening Post, McCall’s, and Ladies’ Home Journal. Those sessions sparked Dick’s fascination with illustration and his early desire to become an illustrator himself. Dick attended Victoria Public School and later Balfour Technical High School, where his artistic talent began to emerge under the mentorship of art teacher Margaret Messer, who guided him towards the Ontario College of Art (OCA) in Toronto. In 1991, through Diane’s connection at a bookkeeping client’s office, Dick was asked to create illustrations and sales brochures for Charlie Kuiken, who was launching Charleston Homes. Impressed by his work, Kuiken invited Dick to assist with design and sales while he managed construction. Dick accepted and worked with Charleston Homes in a Sales and Marketing capacity from January 1992 until June 2008. In 2001, Dick and Diane moved into a Charleston Homes townhome in the village of Rockwood. While at Charleston Homes, Dick maintained his parallel career as a plein air and studio painter. Sadly, Diane passed away shortly after their 50th wedding anniversary in 2013. In time, Dick was fortunate to find profound love again. The following year, on November 28, Dick married fellow artist Judy French, and together they settled in the picturesque Village of Elora, Ontario, where they maintained their home and studios. They opened their studios to the public during the annual Elora Fergus Studio tour between 2015 - 2024. Dick participated in a variety of sports and recreational activities throughout his life. In his youth, he played interschool ice hockey, and little league baseball for the United Commercial Travellers Cubs (UTC Cubs) in Regina. During high school, he was part of the Balfour Redmen football team. Outside of organized sports, As a young adult, Dick enjoyed duck hunting with the springer spaniels he raised and trained, as well as fishing, working in the woods, and raising his children, Jenny and Peter. His interests also included travelling to new places, experimenting with cooking, and hosting gatherings where he brought people together over good food, drink, and conversation. He was particularly known for his excellent storytelling, which made him a lively and engaging presence at any occasion. Finally, Dick had been a Blue Jays fan since their establishment in 1977, something that he and Judy took very seriously and enjoyed immensely. Should you wish to see them during the season, you had to be willing to watch the game! Dick is survived by his wife, Judy French; his children with his late wife, Diane Miller, Jennifer Marvin (Cameron) and Peter Marvin (Charity); his grandchildren, Kiran and Jonah Marvin, Owen and Robert Murphy; brother Ken (Cheryl) Marvin and sister Ann (Ken) Albertan; and brother-in-law to Irene Campbell, Robert Galbraith, and Jennifer McCleese. He was also uncle to Darren, Angela, David, Brianne, and Beth. He was predeceased by his wife, Diane (Miller); his parents, Wendell Marvin and Elise (Belevance); his stepmother, Neva (Thornton); his uncle, Ron Marvin; his aunt, Marie Roman (Marvin); his brother in law Grant Campbell, and his niece, D’Arcy Campbell. A celebration of life will occur late spring / early summer. Arrangements entrusted to the Wall-Custance Funeral Home & Chapel 519-822-0051 / www.wallcustance.com. Read the full obituary on the funeral home website. Donations to Hospice Wellington in Dick’s name would be greatly appreciated. A tree will be planted in memory of Richard Marvin in the Wall-Custance Memorial Forest.
