Marvin “Gene” Nunnikhoven, 87, of Oskaloosa, died Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2018, under hospice care at the MHP Hospital.
Funeral services were Saturday, Mar. 3, in the Central Reformed Church in Oskaloosa with the Rev. Jon Nelson officiating. Burial was in the Friends Cemetery in Oskaloosa. Military honors were by members of the Pella Honor Guard.
Memorials may be made to MHP Hospice or GEMS at Central Reformed Church.
Gene was born Sept, 12, 1930, one of seven sons born to Anthony and Bertha Slykhuis Nunnikhoven, Sr. He attended grade school at South Flagler Country School near Knoxville. He graduated from Pella High School with the Class of 1948.
Following graduation, he worked as a farmhand. In October 1951, he was inducted into the United States Army. During his two years in the Army, he served in Korea. He was honorably discharged from the Army in October 1953. Following his discharge, he returned to Iowa and started farming for himself.
Dec. 24, 1951, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Elsloo. To this union six children were born. Gene and Dorothy continued to farm west of Oskaloosa until moving to town in 1987.
He was a member of Central Reformed Church in Oskaloosa where he had served as deacon and was a charter member of the Gospel Singers. He was also a member of the Van Veen-Van Hemert American Legion Post #89 in Pella for over 50 years. He enjoyed farming, fishing, and traveling.
His family includes his wife of over 66 years, Dorothy Nunnikhoven of Oskaloosa; five children: Randall (Christine) Nunnikhoven of Oskaloosa, Bruce (Barb) Nunnikhoven of Leighton, Daniel Nunnikhoven, Becky (Andrew) Merical of Elkhart, and Russell (Kandie) Nunnikhoven of Syracuse, UT; 12 grandchildren: Deanne (Chris) Tice, Darrin (Jennifer) Nunnikhoven, Don (Hol-lie) Nunnikhoven, Tim (Shivonne) Nunnikhoven, Jason Nunnikhoven, Matthew Nunnikhoven, Stephanie (Eric) Graham, Ashley DeWitt, Jennifer (Joe) Ruddy, Austin Merical, Colten Nunnikhoven, and Aneeka Nunnikhoven; 15 great- grandchildren; three brothers: Anthony (Jo Ann) Nunnikhoven, Jr., Gerald Nunnikhoven and friend Betty, and Merle (Erma) Nunnikhoven; three sisters-in-law: Esther Nunnikhoven, Leona Nunnikhoven, and Dorothy Nunnikhoven; sisters and brothers-in-law: Eunice (Ed) DeJoode and Mary Elsloo.
Gene was preceded in death by his parents, his father- and mother-in-law, Tim and Jeanette Elsloo, Sr.; an infant daughter, Martha Nunnikhoven; an infant great- granddaughter, Abigail Ruddy; three brothers: Abraham, Martin, and Wilbur Nunnikhoven; a brother-in- law, Timothy Elsloo, Jr.; and two sisters-in-law, Bertha Nunnikhoven and Delores Nunnikhoven.
