MAJOR GENERAL MARVIN G. BACK

MARVIN G. BACK OF JASPER, GEORGIA PASSED AWAY ON MAY 3, 2022. HE WAS 86 YEARS OLD. BORN ON 25 FEBRUARY 1936 IN SAULT STE. MARIE, MICHIGAN. HE MOVED TO CALHOUN COUNTY (LAKEVIEW) IN 1940 WHEN HIS FATHER, A CAREER ARMY OFFICER, WAS REASSIGNED TO FORT CUSTER, MICHIGAN.

HE JOINED THE ARMY IN 1956 AND SERVED FOR OVER 37 YEARS ON ACTIVE DUTY OR IN THE ARMY RESERVE WHERE HE ATTAINED THE RANK OF MAJOR GENERAL. AS A GENERAL OFFICER HE COMMANDED TWO MAJOR ARMY RESERVE COMMANDS, SERVED AS DEPUTY COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE ARMY’S THEATER LOGISTICS COMMAND IN OPERATION DESERT STORM AND SERVED IN THE PENTAGON AS LOGISTICS SUB-COMMITTEE CHIEF OF THE ARMY RESERVE FORCES POLICY COMMITTEE. HE RETIRED FROM THE ARMY IN 1993.

HE AND HIS WIFE, ANDRIETTE, TRAVELLED EXTENSIVELY. HE VISITED 28 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES AND ALL 50 STATES OF THE UNION. THEY BOTH LOVED RIVER CRUISES AND CRUISED THE DANUBE, YANGTZE, NILE, RHINE, AND VOLGA. THEY WERE PARTICULARLY FOND OF THE RUSSIAN RIVER CRUISE.

BACK WAS A QUALIFIED PRIVATE PILOT WITH OVER 500 HOURS OF PILOT-IN-COMMAND TIME OF WHICH 35 HOURS WERE DOING AEROBATICS. HE MADE A SINGLE PARACHUTE JUMP, WHICH HE SAID WAS ENOUGH; RACED CLASS-B HYDROPLANES; WAS AUTHORIZED TO FLY AN F-15 EAGLE JET FIGHTER PLANE WHILE SERVING IN SAUDI ARABIA; WROTE A BOOK TITLED “THEORY OF THE TOTAL UNIVERSE”; AND PARA-SAILED IN HAWAII.

BACK STARTED WORK, AFTER SCHOOL, AT AGE 12, IN HIS FATHER’S LIVE BAIT AND FISHING TACKLE SHOP. HE THEN WORKED AS A MECHANIC AT GRESLY’S GARAGE IN BATTLE CREEK AND EVENTUALLY BECAME BUSINESS PARTNERS WITH GARY GRESLY AS A GMC TRUCK FRANCHISED DEALER. HE LEFT THAT BUSINESS AND BECAME PARTNERS IN A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT BUILT ARBY’S RESTAURANTS AND DEPARTED THAT BUSINESS WHEN ARBY’S WENT INTO RECEIVERSHIP. AT THAT TIME HE JOINED CLARK EQUIPMENT COMPANY AS AN ASSEMBLY LINE SUPERVISOR AND THEN BECAME A GENERAL SUPERVISOR FOLLOWED BY DIVISION SUPERINTENDENT AND, PRIOR TO RETIRING, BECAME NATIONAL SERVICE MANAGER FOR THE FORK LIFT TRUCK DIVISION. HE RETIRED FROM CLARK IN 1991 AFTER 24 YEARS OF SERVICE.

HE HOLDS AN ASSOCIATE DEGREE IN MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE, AND A BACHELOR’S DEGREE FROM NORTHWOOD UNIVERSITY IN BUSINESS MANAGEMENT. HIS MILITARY EDUCATION INCLUDES BASIC BRANCH COURSES, ADVANCED BRANCH COURSES, COMMAND AND GENERAL STAFF COLLEGE (HONOR GRADUATE), THE AIR WAR COLLEGE, THE SENIOR RESERVE COMPONENT OFFICER’S ARMY WAR COLLEGE, AND THE NATIONAL DEFENSE UNIVERSITY.

BACK IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, ANDRIETTE E. (BEVERIDGE) BACK, WITH WHOM HE WAS MARRIED FOR FORTY-FIVE YEARS; THREE DAUGHTERS FROM A PREVIOUS MARRIAGE, TERRI, LORRI, AND MARIA, SEVEN GRANDCHILDREN; AND BROTHERS, WILLIAM BACK AND GLEN BACK.

HE IS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY SON, DAVID R. BACK; PARENTS, ALBERT W. AND FANNY A. (MANNESTO) BACK.

SERVICES HAVE BEEN ENTRUSTED TO KEMPF FAMILY FUNERAL AND CREMATION SERVICES, 723 US HWY 27 N, MARSHALL, MI 49068, WHERE VISITATION WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY, MAY 9, 2022, FROM 6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM. VISITATION WILL ALSO BE HELD ON TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022, FROM 10:00 AM UNTIL THE FUNERAL CEREMONY WHICH BEGINS AT 11:00 AM, OFFICIATED BY COLONEL CHESTER SZCZOTKA AND ASSISTED BY CHIEF WARRANT OFFICER 5 DANIEL ORMSBY AND COLONEL STAN HUSELAND. A RECEPTION WILL FOLLOW IMMEDIATELY AND CONCLUDE WITH A COMMITTAL SERVICE AND INTERMENT AT 2:00 PM IN FORT CUSTER NATIONAL CEMETERY, 15501 DICKMAN RD, AUGUSTA, MI 49012.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS IF DESIRED, ARE SUGGESTED TO SHRINERS CHILDRENS HOSPITAL, 2900 N. ROCKY POINT DRIVE, TAMPA, FL 33607 HTTPS://WWW.SHRINERSCHILDRENS.ORG/EN/GIVING OR TUNNEL TO TOWERS, 2361 HYLAN BOULEVARD, STATEN ISLAND, NY 10306. HTTPS://T2T.ORG/DONATE/ .

PLEASE VISIT HTTPS://WWW.KEMPFFUNERALHOME.COM TO VIEW THE ONLINE OBITUARY, TO SIGN THE ONLINE GUEST BOOK, OR TO LEAVE THE FAMILY CONDOLENCES.