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Marvin Donald Stahl

Male 1909 - 2002  (93 years)


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  • Name Marvin Donald Stahl 
    Birth 25 February 1909  Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 2 November 2002  Palm Springs, Riverside County, California Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • 2003 Obituary
      STAHL — Marvin D. Stahl was born February 25, 1909 in Grand Rapids, MI, and passed away in Palm Springs, CA, on November 2, 2002 at the age of 93. During his early years he was a Golf Pro, Hollywood movie producer and later became a well-known businessman in Grand Rapids. He was recently inducted into the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame; he was also member of the Totary Club, Masons and the Grand Rapids, Improvement Club. Marvin supported many charities including St. Mary’s Hospital where he served as a member of th eBoard for many years. He is survived by his wife, Marian, seven grandchildren; 21 great
      grandchildren and two nephew. In memory of Marvin Stahl, this family and friends will be holding a Celebration of Life on Saturday, June 28,2003 at Porter Hills Retirement Village, 3600 E. Fulton at 3:00 p.m. in the Meeting House. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that contributions be sent to his lifelong friend’s charity, the Buddy Rogers’ Youth Symphony at PO Box 10727, Palm Desert. CA 92235.
      Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, Michigan) 22 June 2003. Page A27.

      2003 Sports Eulogy
      Grand Rapids man’s life will be celebrated on Saturday
      Marvin Stahl, a man who played golf with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, produced movies in Hollywood, won Michigan Opens and Michigan PGA Championships as a golf pro and was a leader in the Grand Rapids business community, too, told me once he was old news.
      “Write about some of the young guys,” he said in response to my call for an interview more than 10 years ago.
      Buddy Whitten had told me about him.
      “Write about Buddy,” he said when I persisted.
      Stahl died in November in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 93.
      Stahl, who is being honored Saturday with a Celebration of Life at 3 p.m. at Porter Hills Retirement Village, 3600 E. Fulton, apparently didn’t like to talk about himself.
      “It was never about him,” Whitten, the Blythfield Country Club pro and form Senior PGA Tour player, said. “I tried to get him to talk about it, and he would get teary eyed with some memories, but not talk much about them.”
      He did enough Ibn tournaments to have his name in the record books for winning three Michigan Open titles, and a Michigan PGA title.
      He was a club professional for a short time at Kent Country Club and Blythfield Country Club. Press records indicate. He was sort of the Buddy Whitten of his time, only he had a few other careers.
      He went Hollywood, producing movies and helping raise money to fund movies. That’s how he met Hope and Crosby, and he would play in the “Clambake,” now called the Pebble Beach At&T National Pro-am, and give lessons.
      “He played with the movie stars, the movie moguls, “ Whitten said. “H was a great player for a long time. I asked him how many times he had shot his age once, but he didn’t know. I think he did it often.”
      He’s one of the few Grand Rapids golfers in the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame, which also includes Whitten, PGA Tour winner Joah Barnum and Lynn Janson of Egypt Valley Country Club.
      Press files also laud him for his work in the business community, especially his work running Sparks Belting Co.
      “He had more than one career, and was a wonderful golfer,” Whitten said. “He worked here at Blythfield for a few years. We had him back here a few times, and it was great to meet him and talk with him.
      “I couldn’t get him to say a lot, but what he did say was very interesting.”
      Grand Rapids Press (Grand Rapids, Michigan) 25 June 2003. Wednesday. Page B7.

      2003 Foundation Article
      Marvin Stahl leaves legacy for community’s future
      Marvin Stahl was a lot of things but average wasn’t one of them. Nor did he live an average life.
      His father abandoned him. He dropped out of high school. His 27-year-old wife and fourth child died in childbirth. He lost two daughters as young adults, and the third preceded him in death as well. Dorothy, his wife of more than 50 years, died in 1998.
      But Stahl, whose generous gifts to the Grand Rapids Community Foundation keep his memory alive, is likely to be remembered more for his legendary successes than his heartbreaking losses.Stahl died at the age of 93 in Palm Springs, California, on November 2, last year. He is survived by his wife Marian, two nephews, seven grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren.
      His history of turning losses into gains started early. As he worked to help his single mother make ends meet in 1922, the Cascade Country Club caddy learned the game that would make him a pro. During the Great Depression, not many people were taking golf lessons, so the young proud ample time to perfect his own game. As the clouds of World War II loomed on the horizon, he landed a prestigious pro job at a Palm Beach club. When the club closed for the duration of the war, the golf pro became a Hollywood filmmaker. He dined with the rich and famous. He played golf with the stars. He counted Bind Crosby, Bob Hope, and Jimmy Cagney among his golf partners, and screen actor BuddyRogers became his lifelong friend.
      But for all the luster of his star-studded life, Marvin Stahl never forgot where he came from. After his career as a filmmaker wound down, he returned to Michigan with new new wife, Dorothy, and family. A chance encounter with one of his old caddying clients led to a job at A.J. Sparks in 1946, and by 1954, Stahl was running the company. After Arthur Sparks death in 1956, he bought the firm and grew it into a holding company with several lines of business.
      In his later years, Stahl said he owed his many successes to those early days at Cascade County Club. Without Cascade golf pro Maurice Wells, he might never have played a round of golf. Without golf, whenever would have met the Wall Street mogul who gave him his break in Hollywood. And success in business would not have been possible without the guidance and mentoring of Art Sparks, the man who had generously given quarter Tips to a struggling 13-year-old caddy in 1922.
      Stahl, despite his many losses, saw himself as a fortunate man — and wanted to return a portion of his good fortune to the community he called home. So in 1987, Marvin and Dorothy Stahl donated their beloved summer home on Baldwin Lake to Grand Rapids Community Foundation. It was sold, with proceeds establishing the Marvin Stahl Fund. In his estate plan, Stahl also established a Charitable Remainder Trust for the board benefit of the community. He chose to make both gifts unrestricted, meaning that the board of directors can make grants from his permanent fund based on changing community needs.
      “Marvin Stahl’s gifts to the community foundation demonstrate his affection for the community,” said Molly Parker, Grand Rapids Community Foundation Vice President of development. “He was a man of many gifts, not the least of which was his generous and giving spirit.”
      Current published by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Grand Rapids, Michigan.Winter 2003. Vol. 12. Page 1.

      2003 Foundation Article
      Marvin Stahl cherished time with his family
      Marvin Stahl is remembered affectionately by his grandson, builder Steve Blasen of Grand Rapids. Stahl helped raise Steve, who lost his mother to cancer in 1976.
      “He was like a father to me,” Blasen said. “He was the best.”
      Blasen’s wife, Kim, remembers how Stahl would perform magic tricks for his great-grandchildren, usually pulling coins from behind their ears. Their family album includes dozens of photos of Stahl smiling broadly, his lap overflowing with his great-grandchildren.
      “His life wasn’t easy, but he never lost his spirit,” Mrs. Blasen said. “He was so charming — a real take-you-under-his-wing kind of guy.” She said that he made her feel like she was his daughter, and her sister-in-law Amhy Blasen felt the same way. It was almost as if he showered them with the affection he had for the daughters he lost, she said.
      In Stahl’s later years, when Blasen asked if he could have an old set of his grandfather’s clubs, he was turned down. “Granpa said he didn’t want Steve out playing golf every night instead of coming home to his wife and four children,” Mrs. Blasen remembered with a smile. Today, Blazon’s favorite portrait of his grandfather hangs in a place of honor in his home.
      The Blasens noted that Stahl will be remembered at a memorial service at Blythfield County club in June. Relatives from out of town are planning to rent the Stahl’s former Baldwin Lake cottage, which holds fond memories for all severn grandchildren.
      Blasen said that for all of his grandfather’s success in golf, Hollywood, and business, he cherished time with his family and the simpler things in life. “He really only wanted simple life,” Blasen said. “When he was the the kids, he was always grinning from ear to ear.”
      Current published by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Grand Rapids, Michigan.Winter 2003. Vol. 12. Page 6.

      2002 Death
      Social Security Death Index
      Marvin D. Stahl, b. 225 Feb 1909, d. 2 Nov 2002, last residence 92264 Palm Springs CA. Issued MI before 1951.
    Person ID I18883  Schirado
    Last Modified 24 July 2021 

    Father Jacob Stahl,   b. 3 April 1884, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Laura Ellen Harden,   b. 24 July 1887, Manistee, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 September 1977, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 90 years) 
    Marriage 26 May 1908  Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Divorce 1911 
    Family ID F5571  Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family/Spouse 1 Lorraine Thelma Burrows,   b. 15 August 1917, Minnesota Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 25 February 1944, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 26 years) 
    Family ID F9164  Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family/Spouse 2 Dorothy,   b. 25 January 1905   d. 15 April 1998, Grand Rapids, Kent County, Michigan Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 93 years) 
    Family ID F5655  Family Group Sheet  |  Family Chart


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