Obituaries » Marvin Hastings
Marvin Hastings
January 20, 1932 - February 2, 2021
Marvin Wayne Hastings, 89, passed away February 2, 2021 at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. A visitation will be held 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., Friday, February 5, 2021 at Ankeny Memorial Funeral Home (4208 N Ankeny Blvd). A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, February 6, 2021 at Ankeny First United Methodist Church (206 SW Walnut St).
The service will be live streamed, please follow this link: https://boxcast.tv/view/memorial-service-y8t0teoz7ese0mqws93a
Marvin was born January 20, 1932 in Volga, South Dakota to John A. and Florence (Rufer) Hastings, and he grew up in Brookings County, South Dakota. He was the youngest of three children. In 1952 Marvin joined the US Army where he served from September 1952 to August 1954. During that time, he spent 18 months serving in Germany. Marvin later graduated from South Dakota State University in 1958 in Printing Management.
Marvin was united in marriage to Betty Lauer on September 29, 1962 in Mitchell, South Dakota. To this union they added six children, Julie, Cheryl, Brad, Jodi, Jill, and Carrie.
He started his journalism career at the Lead Daily Call and Deadwood Pioneer Times in Black Hills, South Dakota. He became sports editor for the Daily Republic in Mitchell, South Dakota from November 1959 to June 1962. He then went on to become copy desk editor and reporter for the Sioux City Journal in Sioux City, Iowa from June 1962 to December 1969. He was copy desk editor and assistant Metro-Iowa editor for the Des Moines Tribune from December 1969 until it closed in September 1982. He worked for the Des Moines Register until his retirement in April 1997.
Marvin enjoyed gardening, fishing, photography, and traveling with his wife, Betty. He enjoyed spending 16 winters with Betty in Orange Beach, Alabama. Marvin cherished spending time with his family and watching his children and grandchildren in all their sporting events. Even after his six children graduated, he continued to support Ankeny High School sports teams.
He is survived by his wife, Betty; children, Julie (John) DeLanoit of Ankeny, Iowa, Cheryl (Chris) Dewey of Wilmette, Illinois, Brad (Terri) Hastings of Amarillo, Texas, Jodi (Mark) Wandro of Urbandale, Iowa, Jill (Dan) Westholm of Urbandale, Iowa, and Carrie (Phil) Mescher of Ames, Iowa; grandchildren, Amber Hastings (Stetson Wellborn), Brian Hastings, Reilly (Alex) Hastings, Emily DeLanoit, Nolan DeLanoit, Nick (Monica) Wandro, Will Wandro, Sarah Westholm, Nathan Westholm, Ryan Westholm, Taylor Mescher, Lindsey Mescher, Kaylee Mescher, and Sam Dewey; and sister, Harriet Long of Ankeny, Iowa
Marvin is preceded in death by his parents, John and Florence Hastings; infant brother, Lyle Hastings; and brother, Donald Hastings.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Ankeny First United Methodist Church and the American Heart Association in Marvin’s name.