Marva Schwendiman passed away peacefully in the morning hours of January 11, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Marva and her identical twin sister, Marcia J. Petersen (1932-2008), were born on September 12, 1932 in Murray, Utah to Henry C. and Ruth Goodman Jorgensen.
The family moved during her childhood to the bay area in California, where she went to grade school and then graduated from Sequoia High School. Marva attended and graduated from BYU. Gary Lynn Schwendiman was brought to her in a miraculous way and Marva and Gary were married in the Salt Lake Temple on December 18, 1953. For much of her life, she was an elementary school teacher. She taught the first grade as her mother had done.
Most of her life was focused on service to her family and to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Marva lived overseas at various times in her church callings. In the 1960's, she and Gary lived in Frankfurt, Germany while Gary was serving as the Europe area attorney for the Church.
In 1973, Marva and Gary went to Hamburg Germany where Gary was called to be the mission president and Marva was set apart as a full time missionary. After they returned home in 1976, Marva served in the Salt Lake Brighton Stake in many callings. In 1999, Marva and Gary went to Switzerland where they served as President and Matron of the Swiss Temple. Throughout her life, Marva loved serving in the temple. Marva and Gary returned home in 2002 and Marva was active in the Canyon Road Ward of the Ensign Stake.
Marva was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, and friend. She lived a life of selfless service and unconditional love.
Marva is survived by her husband, Gary, and by their four sons, Lynn (Tanya), Henry (Renee), Ronald (Peggy), and Mark (Tami), as well as 18 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her mother, father and twin sister, Marcia.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 19, 2019, at 11:00 am at the Ensign Stake Center (135 N. A Street). Friends and family may visit Friday, January 18 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm at the Larkin Mortuary (260 East South Temple) and from 10:00 to 10:45 am at the stake center prior to the service. Interment will be at Wasatch Lawn cemetery (3401 S. Highland Drive). Online condolences at www.larkincares.com
