Funeral services for Marven Cornelius Janzen, 97 years-old, Weatherford, Oklahoma resident, will be held on Friday, February 26, 2016 at 10:00 AM at First Baptist Church with Pastor Earl Stephenson officiating. Burial will follow in Bergthal Cemetery, northwest of Corn, Oklahoma. The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 25, 2015 from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in The Chapel of Lockstone Funeral Home.

Marven Cornelius Janzen was born May 9, 1918, in Newton, Kansas to C.L. Janzen and Anna (Flaming) Janzen and passed away Saturday, 02-20-2016 at 18:12 hrs at Weatherwood Assisted Living in Weatherford, Oklahoma, at the age of 97 years, 9 months, and 11 days.

Marven moved to Buhler, Kansas in 1919 and remained until 1926. In 1926, the family moved south of Corn, Oklahoma where they rented a farm from Dr. Fred Schlichting. Marven attended school at the Friesen School, a one room country school with eight grades and one teacher. In 1930, while attending a revival service at the Bergthal Mennonite Church, Marven professed faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Marven was baptized by Rev. John Flaming. He finished the eighth grade at Friendship School, another one room rural school, south of Corn, Oklahoma. In 1939, the family purchased a farm a mile and a half north of Custer City, Oklahoma. In 1941, Marven was drafted and went to Colorado Springs, Colorado to a C.P.S. camp. He worked at a dairy farm and operated a bulldozer building government dams. Marven served 4.5 years at this C.P.S. camp, during WWII. After returning home, Marven and his brothers started a custom harvesting operation. In 1947, they bought a cotton picker and worked as custom cotton pickers in California. While working in Reedley, California area, he met Erna Ratzlaff. They were married March 5th, 1954. Marven and Vernon Flaming, his first cousin, operated a Texaco service station in Fresno, California for one year before deciding to return home to Custer City, Oklahoma. He purchased the home place in 1956. In 1957, Marven and Erna adopted Linda Ann and in 1959 adopted James Marven. Marven enjoyed farming, raising cattle and traveling and was a member of the First Mennonite Church in Clinton, Oklahoma. He also enjoyed singing in the church choir and a mens quartet. On January 12, 1974, Erna passed away from heart complications. Erna was laid to rest at the Bergthal Cemetery west/northwest of Corn, Oklahoma.

In 1976, Marven was introduced to Vera Johnston (Magill) by Fred Janzen and Lera Sawatzky. They were married later that year by Pastor Steve Strunk, on December 28, 1976. In 1991, Marven and Vera sold the farm and moved to Weatherford, Oklahoma.

Marven was a member of the Grand Chapter of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity.

Marven is survived by his wife of 39 years, Vera Janzen; one daughter, Charlotte (Johnston) Moore and husband, Rick of Fort Worth, Texas, two sons, Jim Johnston and wife, Diane of Memphis, Tennessee, James Janzen and wife, Debbie of Weatherford, Oklahoma; nine grandchildren, Lisa Redd and husband, Will, David Dyson and wife Kelley, Joshua Johnston and wife Chelsea , Jordan Johnston , Scott Ocheltree and his wife Autumn, Jeff Ocheltree, April Holland and husband, Scotty, Jeff Janzen and wife, Caroline; Robert Janzen; seven great-grandchildren: Cassie Holland, Taylor Holland, Graham Janzen, SJ Holland, Garrett Janzen, Charlotte Ocheltree, Eli Ocheltree, four sisters; Hulda Nickel of San Luis Obispo, California, Hilda Kayser of Yukon, Oklahoma, Ruth Jones of Yukon, Oklahoma, LaVerne Brooks of Albuquerque, New Mexico; one brother, Fred Janzen of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He is preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Allen Janzen and Gus Janzen and one daughter Linda Janzen.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Gideons.