Obit: Engel, Marvin (1905 - 2006)
Contact:  Audrey Roedl
Email: audero@charter.net

Surnames: ENGEL GABRIELSON LANDWEHR KOWALSKI ANDRES SWENSEN NELSON

----Sources: Loyal TRG 13 December 2006

Engel, Marvin (25 APR 1905 - 7 DEC 2006)

Marvin ‘Mike’ Engel, 101, Spencer, died Thursday, Dec. 7, 2006, at the Continental Manor, Abbotsford, Wis. Services were held at 2:30 p.m., on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at United Methodist Church, Spencer. Burial took place in West Spencer Cemetery. The Rev. Mara Pehkonen officiated. Pallbearers were Austin Karl, Jeff Andres, Dale Andres, Bill Hoes, Jerry Seitz and Jim Rahm.

Marvin R. Engel was born April 25, 1905, on a farm on the Waupaca River in the town of Farmington, to Martin and Essie (nee Gabrielson) Engel, a Danish immigrant. He attended Farmington School. In 1915, his family moved to a farm west of Spencer and he continued his education at Cole School. While attending school, he rented two acres of land from his father and planted potatoes. He raised 800 bushels of potatoes on this land. At the age of 20, he was interested in raising chickens. He walked all over the states of Ohio and Indiana to learn the business first hand. He then returned to Spencer and bought one acre of land one mile south of Spencer. Then the Great Depression hit. After deciding that the chicken business had no future, he moved a half mile closer to Spencer and got a job at O. W. Trindall’s Feed Elevator. He worked there for ten years. Around that time, he bought some bridal wreath bushes, raised them, divided them and resold them. This was his start in the greenhouse business. He moved a small chicken coop next to his business and lived in it. He improved it with used lumber which was cheap and during this time lived on oatmeal and potatoes for two years. He also planted 80,000 cabbages by hand for a cash crop. During this time, he developed Engelwood Nursery where it is still in business today, operated by his granddaughters, Lori and Lisa. It will be in business 75 years this spring. Mike was also in the cut flower and landscape. He retired at the age of 97. He married Nina Sischo at the Central Wisconsin State Fair on Sept. 5, 1935. She died Feb. 20, 2002. She was a school teacher and superintendent. He received many awards such as Spencer’s Outstanding Citizen in 1978. The village also proclaimed April 25 as Mike Engel Day on his 99th birthday. One of his greatest accomplishments was investing and participating in mud wrestling. He wrestled locally and was known as "The Great Dane." He was a kind man and would help anyone. He loved his kitties, Baby and Mama Kitty.

Survivors include his children, Kathleen Landwehr, Spencer, Carol (Chet) Kowalski, Hazelhurst, and Roger (Mary) Engel, Marshfield; his granddaughters, Lori (Dale) Andres, Lisa Karl, Jennifer (Kevin) Swensen, and Shelly Nelson, and Brandon Swenson.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Martin and Essie; his wife, Nina; a daughter, Becky Jean; and his brothers, Norman and Dale.

Maurina/Community Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.