Marvin R. Heikkila

Marvin Heikkila, 74, died on March 17, 2019 at his winter home in Yuma Az.  A viewing will be held at 6 pm – 8 pm Monday March 25 at Nampa Funeral Home, Yraguen Chapel.  A funeral service will be held at the Heikkila - Carver Funeral Chapel in McCall on Tuesday March 26 at 11:00 am and burial Wednesday 1:00 pm at Canyon Hill Cemetery (Caldwell, ID) next to his son.  Services will be under the direction of the Nampa Funeral Home.

Marvin Rayno Heikkila was born September 27, 1944 in Council, Idaho to Hilda Kantola and Martin Heikkila.    His early years were spent at his parent’s home which is now part of the Jug Mountain Golf course, in Lake Fork.  He went to school at Woodgrove School on Farm to Market Road.  His family moved to Montour when he was nine and 5 years later his mother passed away.  He attended school in Sweet, Montour and graduated from Emmett High School in 1962.  He moved to Boise to attend Boise Junior college and lived with his sister Irene.  He met his wife Karen Coffey that fall and they were married on May 6, 1963.  In 1964, their first son, Barry, was born and they moved to Buhl where he started his apprenticeship to be a mortician.    Their second son Douglas was born in 1965 and they moved to Payette that summer to complete his two year apprenticeship.  In 1966, they moved to Alameda, CA  to attend the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science.  After graduation, Marv went to work at the Shaffer Chapel in Payette.  Marv was active in Jaycees and attended the First Christian Church.  Their third son Brenton was born in 1968 and a year later they moved to Nampa where Marv worked at the Alsip Funeral Home.  Their fourth son, Steven was born in the summer of 1969.  While they were in Nampa, they attended the First Christian Church and Calvary Baptist Church.  Marv was active in the Nampa Jaycees and the Masonic Lodge.  In 1974, their oldest son died in an accident on West Mountain in Cascade.  Marv went to work for Flahiff Chapel in 1976.  In 1978, Marv and Karen had the opportunity to purchase Walker Funeral Chapel and they moved their family to McCall.  Marv was able to fulfill his dream of owning the funeral home in McCall.  Marv became the Valley County Coroner in 1980 and served in that compacity until 2012.  He also served on the McCall Fire Board and on the board of the Finnish Church in Lake Fork.  Marv was extremely proud of his Finnish Heritage.  Active in the community, Marv also belong to the Elks Lodge, Optimist Club, Rotary Club and attended the Nazarene Church.   In 1985 Marv started a second business manufacturing fiberglass burial vaults.  After 53 years of working as a mortician, Marv and Karen sold the Heikkila Funeral Chapel.

He is survived by his wife Karen, sons Douglas and Lisa Heikkila of Meridian (grandchildren Andrew/Miranda and Connor); Brent and Ruthie Heikkila of Boise (grandchildren Kailee and Cydney) and Steven and Dianna Heikkila of Roseville, CA (grandchildren Jacob, Samantha and Nicholas).  His sister Bernice and Marvin Hendrix of Nampa, a sister-in-law Suzanne Coffey and fiancé Tony Schlapia of Nampa and a step-brother David and Theodora Hackenburg of Glendale, AZ, nephew, Dale and Angie Eldridge and two nieces, Kim Eldridge and Nancy and Rick Husfloen.  He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Irene Heikkila and son Barry Heikkila.

Online tributes can be posted to https://www.nampafuneralhome.com/

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