Marvin Parr Blakeman

Marvin Parr Blakeman, 101, passed away on July 26, 2025. Funeral services will held on Thursday, July 31, 2025 at Platte Woods United Methodist Church, 7310 NW Prairie View Rd, Platte Woods, MO 64151. Visitation will begin at 10:00am, funeral at 11:00am, followed by burial at Terrace Park Cemetery, 801 NW 108th St. KCMO 64155. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project. 

Mr. Blakeman was born January 30, 1924 in Kansas City, MO., the son of Thomas and Louise Blakeman. He attended Sandford B. Ladd Elementary School, Central Jr. High School, and graduated from Central Sr. High School in 1942. He was involved in the ROTC program in high school. He worked for Fred Harvey at Union Station in K.C., MO, until he entered active military service on March 6, 1943, at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He trained at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina, as Intelligence Scout in the Intelligence and Reconnaissance Platoon, 424th Infantry Regiment, 106th Infantry Division. He further trained at Camp Atterbury, Indiana. Following this duty, he was transferred to Camp Miles Standish near Boston, Massachusetts, from where he sailed to England on a Liberty ship in May, 1944. He landed on Omaha Beach in Normandy, France, on June 14th and was assigned to the Intelligence Section, 1st Battalion Headquarters, 330th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division where he served until the end of the war. He was awarded five bronze stars for serving in Normandy, Northern France, Central Europe, Ardennes, and the Rhineland. He earned the Combat Infantryman's Badge, the Bronze Star Medal, was entitled to wear the Victory Ribbon, and three Overseas Bars. After occupational duty in Germany, he was discharged as a T/5 on December 18, 1945. from Jefferson Barracks, MO. He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was especially proud to have served with his buddies in World War II in Europe. In June of 2004, Marvin participated in an Honor Flight trip to see the newly completed WWll Memorial in Washington D.C. With his passing, there are now only three known surviving veterans of the 83rd Infantry Division that served in World War ll. After the war, Marvin attended Junior College as a pre-journalism student. He was later employed by the Federal Reserve Bank in the Government Checks and, later, Member Books Departments from 1948 to 1953, and left to complete his education under the G.I. Bill of Rights. To help finance his education at the Conservatory of Music, UMKC, he worked for Evelyn Woods Reading Dynamics. He taught western horsemanship and was in charge of transportation, campfires, chapel services, and was Associate Director at Boys Trails End Camp near Glen Haven Park, Colorado. It was one of 8 camps of Cheley Colorado Camps of Estes Park, Colorado. 

From the time Marvin was 10 years old, when his family joined the Linwood Methodist Church in Kansas City, MO, he sang in choirs for many years after the war. He was an active member of the Criterion Sunday School Class of that same church. 

He was a choir director for six years at Quindaro Christian Church in Kansas City, KS. For a short time, he was a dance instructor for Arthur Murray's studio at 12th and Walnut in Kansas City, MO. He delighted in the world of dance, loving to watch different ethnic routines from around the world. He would have liked to have been a premiere song and dance man, reflecting his intense love of the musical arts. This included male quartet singing. He was a member of the Kansas City Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barbershop Quartet Singing in America for seven years. He also sang in a gospel quartet at the Platte Woods United Methodist Church for ten years. The latter was especially important to him as he felt it so closely put him in touch with God. To him, gospel music unlocked his soul and let in the unmistakable grace of God. He said he felt a "oneness" with the Lord, and often, while rehearsing alone, tears of joy, thanksgiving, and praise would well up and flow uncontrollably down his cheeks. He would be eternally grateful for the privilege of singing this music with three fine Christian men and an equally wonderful accompanist. 

Some of Marvin's other interests were golf, skeet/trap shooting, videography, travel, reading and writing. He took flying lessons and flew solo round trip from Kansas City to Oklahoma City. He also loved to study the French language. 

He had a vital interest in the early West and Native American history that stemmed from the pride that he had in his grandfather, Cephas (Dick) Parr, who, at age 13, was captured by the Oglala Sioux. After five years of living the Native American Indian life, he escaped and became Chief of Scouts under Generals Custer and Sheridan. 

Marvin received his Bachelor of Music Degree in Voice and Master of Music Education degree from the Conservatory of Music, UMKC, and taught high school voice/ instrumental music at Drexel and La Plata, MO. He then taught all grades in Kansas City, MO, School District from 1960 to 1961, and elementary instrumental music until 1986. 

Marvin's greatest love, closest friend, and constant. companion was his devoted wife, Evelyn, who preceded him in death September 11, 2001. He often spoke of her as his "Golden Haired angel and God's masterpiece.” He thanked God dally for her, for the assurance that he would see her again, and that they would be together for eternity in the presence of the Lord. 

Marvin was also preceded in death by his parents and sister, Glenda Louise Walje. He will be fondly and greatly remembered by his nephews, Michael (Christy) Walje and Steven (Jennifer) Walje; great nieces and nephews, Matthew (Tessa) Walje, Jordan (Taylor) Grimmett, Mikayla (Praus) Nichols, Sarah (Austin) Loveing, Nathan (Katelyn) Walje, Abigail Walje, Colton Walje, Hailie Abkes, Alaina Abkes, and Morgan (Micah) Bales; great-great nieces and nephews, Jesse, Jase, Olivia, Karleigh, Levi, Emmy, Ira, Eli, Iyla, Fae, Das, Leo, Sylvia, and two more on the way. He is also survived by his late wife's family - niece, Joyce Gerding, and many, many more Gerding family members that Marvin lovingly referred to as his 'shirt-tail relatives,’ because although they weren't related by blood, they all were connected by heart.

To view Marvin's WWII documentary please click the link > Marvin Blakeman | WW2 Veteran Documentary