Marvin Bowles Madren

Reidsville- Marvin Bowles Madren, Jr., went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Wednesday, May 23, 2012, surrounded by family and friends.Funeral services will be held 2:00 P.M. on Saturday, May 26, 2012, at Baptist Temple Church with Rev. Walt Cooper, Rev. John Groff and Chaplain Tripp Kimbrough officiating. Burial will follow in Greenview Cemetery with military rites held by the Rockingham County Honor Guard.He was born in Guilford County on July 26, 1922 to Marvin B. Madren, Sr. and Louella Michaels Madren. During his 3 years served in the US Army, he attained the rank of Staff Sgt. and belonged to the 1st Infantry Division fighting in six major battles; one being D-Day landing on Omaha Beach. He was awarded the Silver Star and Bronze Star for bravery. After his service career, he was employed by the American Tobacco Company for 39 years. After retiring, Marvin was blessed to go on 10 mission trips to Honduras with the Baptist Brotherhood of Baptist Temple. They built churches, schools, dug wells and ministered to the needs of many. He also participated in mission projects in areas of North Carolina. Marvin was a faithful member of Baptist Temple Church for 63 years. He enjoyed serving the church as deacon, Sunday school teacher, director of training union, choir member and prayer room partner.Through the years, Marvin's hobbies of fishing, bowling, and horseshoe championships brought him much pleasure; but his greatest joy was serving Christ as he helped meet the needs of others. While physically able, he found another way of serving was through the Reidsville Kiwanis Club. He liked being part of a group where serving children around the world was so important. Along with his parents, Marvin was preceded in death by his only daughter, Mary Deborah Lynn; three sisters, Rosa Stephens, Norma Benke and Blanche Chapman; and four brothers, Lester, Hubert, Roy and Wade Madren. Mr. Madren is survived by the love of his life, Mary Elizabeth Cole Madren, to whom he married on April 5, 1947. They were blessed with three sons, Marvin B. Madren, III "Bo" (Jewell Penn) of Reidsville, James Paul Madren (Nancy) of Wentworth, and Philip Anthony Madren (Kara) of Brown Summit; granddaughters, Glenda Mims (Shawn), Marva Voss (Jason) of Belews Creek, Jamie Dawn Corum (Dwayne); great-granddaughters, Jaden Broadnax, Kayden Mims, Katie Corum; great-grandson, Jaxon Cole Voss; brother, Albert Madren and several nieces and nephews and many friends.The family will receive friends on Friday, May 25, 2012 at Wilkerson Funeral Home from 6 to 8 P.M. and other times at the residence.In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Hospice of Rockingham county, PO Box 281, Wentworth, NC 27375; Baptist Children's Home of NC, Attn: Michael C. Blackwell, PO Box 338, Thomasville, NC 27360; Baptist Temple, 729 Wentworth Street, Reidsville, NC 27320; Reidsville Kiwanis Club, PO Box 2, Reidsville, NC 27320.Condolences may be sent to the family at www.wilkersonfuneral.com