Marvin Lewis Norelius
Marvin Lewis Norelius was born in Seattle to Lewis Magnus Norelius and Edythe Cordelia Norelius on August 23, 1924 and died on August 13, 2016.
After moving with his family to the small town of Oroville, Marvin found his taste for the outdoors and adventure while hunting rattlesnakes in the Okanogan County hills above Lake Osoyoos. It was also here that young Marvin and his best friend each invested five dollars for a ride in a Ford Trimotor airplane that sparked a lifelong passion for aviation.
After graduating from Seattle’s Queen Anne High School and then aviation mechanics school on Capitol Hill, Marvin was called up by the US Navy to use his new skills to service aircraft at remote stations in the South Pacific. Returning home, Marvin joined Pan American Airways as a mechanic, where he met Evelyn, his future wife of 52 years. After receiving his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Washington, he joined Boeing for a career in rocket and aircraft propulsion systems for both civilian and military duties. While building large aircraft filled his work weeks, his weekends were spent boating, skiing, hiking, flying and climbing under the hood to coax a few more miles out of the family car. For all his achievements, he was most proud of 23 things he left here. His light-filled little sister, Donna, who he loved so dearly, 4 adult kids who will always remember to “measure twice and cut once”, 4 spouses of those kids who embraced his genetics and his laughter, 9 grandchildren who are already bringing goodness across the entire planet, and 5 acres of family property that was once Mother Nature’s playground for his children and is now committed Bellevue park land for neighbors and wildlife.
Marvin is preceded in death by his wife, Evelyn (1999), and sisters Aileen Norelius (1929), Lorraine Mercer (2000) and Barbara Jean Doolittle (2003).
The family will be hosting a celebration of Marvin’s life on Saturday, November 26th at3:00pm at East Shore Unitarian Church, 12700 SE 32nd Street, Bellevue 98005. Photos and guestbook at flintofts.com.
In lieu of flowers, remembrances can be made to the American Cancer Society or your favorite charity.
