Marva Johnson Vogel

“When death one day comes for me, I shall go with a smile on my face, a hallelujah on my lips and no fear in my heart as my God will be coming for me and where I will be going no more troubles will I ever see!”
 Marva Lorraine Johnson was born, along with her twin sister Christine Elaine, on May 22, 1949, in Council, Idaho, to parents Harold and Fern Hopper Johnson.  Her brother, Bill, was born two years later to complete the family.
 Her family lived near Indian Valley on North Grey’s Creek where she and her sister and brother spent nearly every waking moment running around in the hills, fishing, riding horses, doing chores or just getting into mischief.  Marva loved everything about living in the hills. It was a great place for a high-energy, precocious little girl to grow up.
 In 1959, the family moved from Grey’s Creek into Indian Valley and she had to adjust to being a “town kid.” They were now only ¼ mile from the store, the post office, and the 2-room school where she attended her elementary years.  In seventh grade, as was customary in those days, she and the rest of her Indian Valley classmates were transferred to Cambridge for junior high and high school where Marva participated in many extracurricular activities including FHA and cheerleading.
 In May 1966, just one week after her 17th birthday, she married her high school sweetheart, Mike Vogel. This marriage was blessed by three children, Marva Michele (Missy), Michael Sean (Scooter), and Lori Ann.    
 Along with being a busy mom to these three, Marva worked at various times at US Bank, the Cambridge-Midvale Senior Center, and Cambridge Elementary as a teacher’s aide and librarian. It was also around this time that her mother-in-law persuaded her to take oil painting classes with her, and she became an accomplished artist, winning many awards.
 Lori Ann’s accidental death in 1984, turned Marva’s life upside down, but as always, her unwavering faith got her through this tragedy, and she moved forward.
 In 1986, she married Tom Vogel, her best friend and soul mate. Theirs was a match made in heaven.  They became partners in life, including ranching, parenting, and, of course, on the dance floor. In 2016 in a beautiful ceremony performed by the late Johnny Morris, and in the company of family members and close friends, Tom and Marva renewed their wedding vows, waltzing down the aisle to “May I Have This Dance For The Rest Of My Life?”
 Tom and Marva wintered their cattle for many years on Little Willow Creek near Paddock Valley Reservoir, and then trucked to the Gold Fork near Donnelly during the summer, where they rode in the mountains almost every day. They lived in a chicken house repurposed into a cabin, and always had lots of friends and grandkids around to share this adventure.
 In 2003, their lives were richly blessed when their grandchildren, Blake and Abbie, came to live with them permanently. They relocated to their home place at Cambridge so the children could attend school and participate in all the extracurricular activities, which Tom and Marva have faithfully supported.  Marva had a close bond with the high school students and was affectionately know as Gram.
 Those close to Marva would say there isn’t anything she couldn’t do.  If it needed built, she built it, if it needed fixed, she fixed it, if it needed rode, she rode it. If it needed plowed, plucked, milked, mended, fed, fueled, planted, painted, harvested, hauled, canned, cooked – she could do it. “Can’t” was not in her vocabulary. She loved the outdoors, she loved the land, her garden and flowers were the envy of all, and her well-fed quail covey drew comments from every one that visited. She was always up for an adventure and enjoyed learning new things.
 Marva and Tom were recognized as Grand Marshals of the Cambridge Rodeo in 2016, for which she felt very honored and humbled. She was always willing to serve her church, school, and community. She held positions on the rural Community Development Board, the County Weed Board, and the Weiser River Soil Conservation District, as well as being a Sunday school teacher and 4-H leader.
 When Marva was diagnosed with cancer and told that with treatment she might live another year, she thought of the things she still needed to do and said, “I’ll make it four.” And she almost did. She was a woman of God and her faith was an inspiration to those around her. Her friendly nature and beautiful smile endeared everyone to her.
 Marva passed away in the arms of her beloved husband on the evening of Jan. 29, 2019. Besides Tom, she is survived by her children, Missy Harrison and Scooter Vogel, grandchildren, Blake Vogel, Abbie Vogel, Ian Harrison (Baili), Zach Harrison, Levi Harrison (Julia), Manon Tyler, and Jaida Vogel. Her great-grandchildren are Kennedi Harrison, James Harrison, Hope Harrison, Bradie Reyna, and Logan Reyna.  She is also survived by her twin sister, Chris Poff (Jim) of St. Joseph, MN, her brother, Bill Johnson of Baker, Ore., Tom’s siblings who loved her as a sister, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
 Her daughter, Lori Ann, her parents Harold and Gladys Johnson and Fern and Dave Yoder, and her son-in-law, Tim Harrison, preceded her in death. Marva did not fear death and anticipated a heavenly reunion with her loved ones.
 A Celebration of Life will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, at the Exhibit Hall in Cambridge, Idaho. Please bring a salad or dessert and join the family for lunch following the service. The main dish will be provided.
 The family suggests donations in Marva’s name to the Cambridge FFA Alumni Association, P.O. Box 271, Cambridge, ID 83610, or a charity of your choice.
 

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Signal American

18 E. Idaho St.
Weiser, ID 83672
PH: (208) 549-1717
FAX: (208) 549-1718
 

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