Marvin Hugh Goyer

From the moment Marvin Hugh Goyer was born on a dirt floor of a farmhouse in Choctaw, Oklahoma, his adventure began. Like many of this generation, Marvin’s story is built upon a lifetime of hard work, sacrifice, and love. Stories of his mama’s bright and cheerful zinnias and a garden that fed him and his family were one of many memories the family enjoyed recounting over the years.

At age seventeen, Marvin joined the Navy with blessing from his mother. As his adventure continued, Marvin trained pilots to use the ejection seat, often demonstrating at state fairs and providing a lifetime of bragging rights to the fact he had experienced 9Gs. Following his service, the GI Bill granted him the opportunity to study at Oklahoma State University. There, he honed his interest in Geology, leading to a career as a Geophysicist. He also met the love of his life and wife of 65 years, Mary Yvonne Goyer.

Marvin’s career took him all over the world, from Brazil to Pakistan to New Zealand and back again. Time at the dinner table was filled with countless “this one time in…” stories. When not surveying distant lands or mapping the sea floor of the Gulf of Mexico, Marvin and his family loved to birdwatch. While his favorite remained the Scissortail Flycatcher, the elusive Dipper kept his binoculars at the ready.

Marvin and Yvonne had two children, Nannette and John Goyer, who traveled the country and world with their parents. Settling in the Houston, Texas, area was serendipitous as an avid Houston Astros fan. His dedication and enthusiasm for the team span generations. Marvin is survived by his wife, Yvonne; daughter, Nannette; granddaughter, Gwen Dildine and her husband, Steve Dildine; and great-grandchildren, Allen and Joanna.

His loved ones share their goodbye with this message: We will find you in the birds who visit the garden, the zinnias we plant in your memory, the pineapple upside-down cake we bake on your birthday, the love of the Astros you instilled in all of us, and forever in our hearts. We are all grateful for the stories you told and the adventures we shared.

Arrangements have been entrusted to the Herring Groseclose Funeral Home.