Marvin Dale Schwetman

Marvin Dale Schwetman, 83, of Metropolis, passed away Tuesday evening, August 22, 2023, at Southgate Nursing Home, surrounded by his family.

Marvin was born at home on the family farm in Massac County, on November 1, 1939, to Barney and Susie (Meinders) Schwetman.  He graduated from Metropolis Community High School in 1957 and completed a six-week Agricultural course at the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana.

On February 8, 1964, Marvin married the love of his life, Rosemary (Richards).  He and Rosemary had four children who they raised on the family farm.  Marvin was what he termed a full-time farmer, raising registered black angus cattle with his dad in addition to hogs, corn, soybeans, wheat and milo.  He also cut and cleaned clover seed for many years. 

Marvin was immensely proud of the fact that the Schwetman Farm is a Sesquicentennial Farm, purchased by his great grandfather in 1854.  He showed registered black angus cattle at county fairs throughout southern Illinois.  He was a 4-H leader for the Happy Hillbillies for many years and taught 4-H tractor safety to many in Massac County.  He was instrumental in bringing the Massac County Youth Fair to life in the early 1980’s and served on the fair board for several years.  He was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and served on the St. Paul church council.

Marvin was an avid Ford man.  His prized possessions include a 1964 Ford flatbed ton truck, a Ford 5000 tractor, a Ford 5000 select-o-speed tractor and a Ford 900 tractor.  He, his children and grandchildren drove these tractors in several Labor Day parades in Metropolis.

Marvin loved his family dearly and enjoyed being together with his family for every holiday or just because.  It didn’t matter the reason, just that they were together.  Friends were also important to him.  He and Mib Johnson held a chili supper, later dubbed Creek Fest, for friends and family annually for several years. It was Marvin’s way of celebrating the end of harvest and was something he looked forward to and loved.  What started as a small gathering on Massac Creek, grew to as many as 250 people.  Marvin befriended Grand Ole Opry performer Billy Grammer, who came and performed at Creek Fest.

Marvin is survived by his wife of almost 60 years, Rosemary (Richards) Schwetman; his children, Karen Anderson and husband Jim of Grantsburg, IL, Steve Schwetman and wife Kristy of Paducah, KY, Sarah Schupp and husband Scott of Metropolis, and Justin Schwetman of Metropolis; four grandchildren, Kristin Atkinson and husband Jace of Brookport, IL, Kara Womack of Grantsburg, IL, Collin Schupp and Pete Schupp of Metropolis; one great granddaughter, Remi Atkinson; and several cousins.

Marvin was preceded in death by his parents Barney and Susie (Meinders) Schwetman, one brother, Roy Schwetman, and an infant nephew, Donald Schwetman.

Funeral services will be held 11 am, Monday, August 28, 2023, at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 520 Ferry Street, Metropolis, IL, 62960 with Rev. Tim Bean officiating.  Burial will follow at the Zion UCC Cemetery, in rural Massac County.

Visitation will be held from 6:00-8:00 pm, Sunday, August 27, 2023, at Aikins-Farmer-Loftus-McManus Funeral Home in Metropolis and from 10:00 am until the funeral hour at St. Paul’s.

Pallbearers will be Brad Meinders, Kevin Meinders, Gary Verbarg, Randy Pansing, Robert Potterbaum, Daren Kinser and Bob Block.

 Honorary pallbearers are Mib Johnson, Dennis Kinser, Dan Mizell, Donald Bunting, Jerry Flynn, and Bill Richards.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Shriner’s Hospital for Children, Attn: Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Drive, Tampa, FL 33607. Online condolences may be left at www.aikinsfarmer-millerfh.com.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.