George Marvin Allen died at Careage in Coupeville on Sept. 3, 2005 after a long period of declining health. He was born May 17, 1922 in Tulare, Calif., to George Robert and Avis Ruth (George) Allen. He lived in Tulare (except for military service) until 1991 when he and his wife moved to rural Coupeville.

Marvin was an Eagle Scout by age 16 and a member of Knights of Dunamis several years later. He attended schools in Tulare and after graduation earned an AA degree at Visalia Junior College (now College of the Sequoias), Visalia, Calif.

After graduating from Jr. College Marvin joined the U. S. Naval Reserve in September 1942. He went into the medical corps and was trained in the San Diego area. For nine months he was transferred to the Marines at Camp Elliott, San Diego and after that was transferred back to the Navy in CUB-10.

Marvin’s unit went overseas in November 1943 and after some stops ended up in Hollandia, New Guinea in 1944. The whole group went in as SeaBees and constructed their own base and hospital and Base Hospital 17 was commissioned in early October 1944. It was the main evacuation hospital for the Battle of Leyte Gulf (invasion of the Philippines).

While overseas Marvin was promoted until he attained the rank of Pharmacist Mate 1/c (E-6). He was transferred back to San Francisco while accompanying returning wounded and was later assigned to the USS J. Franklin Bell, APA-17 as a pharmacist. After a trip to return more wounded from the Tinian, Samar, Okinawa area, he was released from the Navy in December 1945. He returned to Tulare and went into the clothing business with his parents. He was the managing partner of Allne’s Style Shop. In April 1950, he and the former Beverly Box were married in Tulare.

Some months late, Marvin later re-enlisted into the Navy. He was called back to duty September 1950 and served 15 months of active duty at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital, Oakland, Calif. He returned to Tulare to close out the store business.

After several other jobs, Marvin returned to college and completed his Bachelor of Education Degree at Fresno State College, Fresno, Calif. He started teaching elementary school at Waukena, Calif. He also taught a few years in Pixley, Calif., and then transferred to Tulare City Schools, where he taught until retirement in June 1982. He taught school for 28 years, mostly fifth grade where he loved working with disadvantaged children from the farming area in Central California.

Marvin was inducted into the VFW while serving at Base Hospital 17 in New Guinea in 1944. He was briefly the Commander of VFW Post 2002 in Tulare but had to resign due to his return to active duty in 1950. He was now a member of Whitehead-Muzzall Post 7392 of Oak Harbor. The Post Commander, Fred McDaniel, recently presented his 60-year pin to him at home. He is also a current member of the George Morris Post 129 and the Navy League, Oak Harbor chapter.

Marvin was true to his early Scouting experiences and loved nature and the outdoors. He enjoyed feeding the birds and watching them from his dining room window. He enjoyed the many natural beauties of Whidbey and was happy surrounded by all the wonders of the area as was possible. His favorite drive was to come home from the post office around by Ebey’s Landing and through the beautiful trees at the top of the bluff.

Marvin and Beverly had three children: Bryan and his wife Jane of Altadena, Calif.; Ralph and his wife Debi of Lander, Wyo., and Valerie Allen of Lynnwood, Wash. He had seven grandchildren, Ralph II and his wife Heidi; Nina and her husband Alan Landis, Hannah and Sarah of Lander, Wyo.; Michael Turpin of Lynnwood and David Turpin of Seattle and Sachi Allen of Altadena, Calif. His great-grandchildren are Ralph Allen III who was born July 25, 2005 and Andrew Cordell of the greater Seattle area. One sister Barbara Snider of Fresno also survives. His parents preceded him in death.

Marvin requested no funeral services be conducted. Cremation was held with private family inurnment to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to a favorite charity aiding the military services, especially activated reservist or any charity benefiting underprivileged children.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.