Marvin Rehbein; 1936-2025

Marvin Alfred Rehbein, 89, passed away in the early hours of Tuesday, May 13, at St. Patrick Hospital, due to complications from myelodysplastic syndrome. 

Marvin was born May 11, 1936, in the township of Centerville—now known as Lino Lakes, MN—to Elsie (Stolp) and Louis Rehbein. He was the third of seven children, and the son of a stern but hardworking farmer and the sweetest of mothers. 

He attended a one-room schoolhouse on Birch Street for grade school and after a few weeks of high school at White Bear Lake he decided that school was a waste of his time, and he needed to make money. Not long after, he borrowed money from his dad to buy a flatbed truck, and he began selling sod door-to-door that he cut from his dad’s pasture. Thus began the life of a businessman. 

In March 1956, Marvin’s cousin, Joyce, introduced him to Mary Anne Houle at the roller skating rink in Forest Lake, MN. She was just 17 at the time. Against her father’s wishes, the couple married on Aug. 16, 1956. They purchased their first home in Roseville, MN, and welcomed the first of seven children eleven months later. As their family grew, so did Marvin’s company. By the time their youngest child was born in 1969, his company had evolved from landscaping into excavation and road construction. 

In 1974, with 175-plus employees and projects stretching from St. Paul to Duluth, Marvin and Mary Anne decided to relocate their family and business to Montana. They purchased a ranch in Plains, MT, and began bidding on construction projects for the Montana Department of Highways (Transportation). From Eureka to Alzada and everywhere in between, Marvin had a hand (pun intended) in improving and expanding Montana’s highways, airports and dams. 

In 1988, Marvin and Mary Anne moved to a ranch in Arlee, MT, where he lived until his passing. He raised various breeds of cattle over the years, but in the end his “black girls” (Angus) became his favorite. He was “all cattle, and no hat,” never quite understanding why someone would own a horse, but happy to sell hay to those who did. 

A tireless entrepreneur, Marvin launched or supported many other business ventures throughout his life. He never sat still unless it was to play a game of cribbage. He was a devoted Ford enthusiast and encouraged everyone he knew to buy from Rehbein Ford, with little patience for those who didn’t. He was also known for his candor and didn’t hesitate to let people know what he thought. 

After Mary Anne passed away in 2016, several neighbors continued to look out for Marvin, bringing meals, playing cards, offering rides and solving household issues. The family extends heartfelt thanks to the Shick, Conover and Wilcox families and Linda Longacre, for going above and beyond as neighbors, and to Leona Larson for tending to the house and chauffeuring Marvin to keep him out of the driver’s seat. 

Marvin recently donated to the Arlee Senior Center to upgrade the kitchen and facilities and enjoyed going there for lunch to catch up with old friends and neighbors. 

Marvin is survived by his brothers, Lloyd, Gary and Randy; seven children, Marvin L. (Connie) Rehbein, Rita (Ed) Rehbein Mai, Douglas (Annette) Rehbein, Dwayne (Ann) Rehbein, Dennis (Marty) Rehbein, Dean Rehbein, and Mary Jo (Doug) Jackson; 26 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. 

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Arlee Senior Center, PO Box 392, Arlee, MT 59821; Providence St. Patrick Hospital (Greatest Needs) 502 W. Spruce, Missoula, MT 59801; or St. Joseph Medical Center (Capital Campaign), 502 W. Spruce, Missoula MT 59801.