To live in the hearts and minds of those we leave behind

Let us help get you started

Obituary for Marvin A. "Marv" Iverson


Marvin “Marv” Alan Iverson, 80, of West Salem passed away peacefully at Gundersen Health Systems on Thursday, October 20th, 2022.

Marv was born on December 25th, 1941, to John and Nora (Midtlien) Iverson in Vernon County, WI. He grew up on the family farm outside of Viroqua and attended a one-room schoolhouse until transferring to Viroqua High School. It was there that he met his lovely wife of 62 years, Kathy (Knutson) Iverson, whom he married on February 24th, 1960 in Viroqua, WI. In high school, Marv was a standout athlete in both football and baseball. He tried out as a pitcher for the Milwaukee Braves, but was cut due to a shoulder injury.

After briefly living in a farmhouse in Vernon County, Marv and Kathy moved to La Crosse where Marv attended the University of WI-La Crosse, earning a degree in Social Work. They moved to La Crosse, then the Twin Cities for a brief time, before settling into their home of over 50 years in West Salem, where they raised their three children. Marv worked for La Crosse County Human Services for over 30 years. He started out working with Juveniles, before moving to Child Protection and Foster Care. In addition to social work, Marv worked for many years in a variety of restaurants in La Crosse as a cook. He was a great cook, and enjoyed making his famous tips and gravy for his family on holidays. Marv was a member of the Lion’s club in West Salem for many years, as well as the village board, West Salem Historical Society, and a Sunday school teacher at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church where they were lifelong members. Marv was very social and enjoyed spending time with his many friends, co-workers and family. It was difficult to go anywhere with him without running into someone he knew, who wanted to visit, much to the dismay of his children.

He was a wonderful husband, dad, and grandfather, who loved spending time playing catch, traveling, or going to his kids and grandkids many school events. He will be deeply missed and forever loved by his family. Survivors include two daughters, Amy (Jerry) Clements and Rebecca (Steven) Furuta; grandchildren, Blake Clements, Samantha (Nathan) Peplinski, Brandon (Chloe) Furuta, Logan Furuta and Alexa Furuta; great-grandchildren, Jackson and Odette. He is further survived by his sister-in-law Sandra Iverson, and brothers-in-law Richard (Patti) Knutson and James Knutson, as well as several nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents, Marv was preceded in death by his wife Kathleene, his son Jon, and his brother Ronald Iverson.

The family would like to thank the staff and nurses at Gundersen Hospital Hospice for their attentive care during the brief time that he was there. Jandt-Fredrickson Funeral Home and Cremation Service is assisting with the arrangements. Per Marv’s wishes, the family will hold a private ceremony at Viroqua Cemetery at a later date. Online condolences may be offered at www.jandtfredrickson.com