Obituary | Marlin R. Vatne of Rhame, North Dakota | Krebsbach Funeral Service (2024)

Marlin Rudolph Vatne, 77, of Rhame ND, passed away Sunday, December 10th, 2023, at Southwest Healthcare, surrounded by family and friends who loved him dearly. Funeral Services for Marlin will be held on Saturday, December 16th, 2023 at 10AM at First Lutheran Church in Rhame, with Pastor Renee Johnson officiating, and burial and luncheon to follow at Bethany Church south of Rhame (12 miles). Luncheon provided by the Bethany Lutheran Church Ladies Auxiliary. Visitation for Marlin will be Friday, December 15, 2023 from 7pm-9pm at Krebsbach and Kulseth Funeral Home Chapel, in Bowman. In Lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Bethany Lutheran Church Ladies Auxiliary, co Rhonda Luebke, 16608 99th Street SW, Rhame ND, 58651.

Marlin Vatne was born December 28th, 1945 in Baker Montana, to Ruth and Rudy Vatne. He was the youngest of 5. With having four older sisters, Elieen, Dorothy, Doris and Betty Jean, he was sure to learn how to be patient. That is until work needed to be done. Ruth and Rudy homesteaded 17 miles southwest of Rhame ND, thus growing up on a homestead meant there was always work that needed to be done. If Marlin wasn’t working alongside his sisters on the farm, he was at school or climbing the Mud Buttes with his friends and cousins. He attended 1st thru 8th grade at Golden Valley, then went on to attend 9th grade at Bowman High School. He was only able to attend High School for 6 weeks before Rudy needed more help on the farm. By 1959 all of Marlins sister had left and went off to college and on their own adventures, thus leaving Marlin, at the age of 13 to help Rudy with the duties of farming and ranching. He never shied away from hard work. He worked hard seeding, haying, baling, however his real passion was the love he had for his cattle. He lived with Stella and Albert Fossum one summer, helping them and their son Chuck out on their place. Stella always made sure to have a jar of peanut butter for that is all Marlin would eat when he was working. For decades to come that jar of peanut butter would be in her cupboards for when he would stop by with his kids. Marlin enjoyed working for he saved hismoney to buy the finer things. He had been eyeing this Gibson guitar for a while and had been saving so he could buy it for his birthday. He didn’t have enough to buy it so Rudy and Ruth gave the rest of the money for his birthday, thus creating the man who loved to play guitar and sing every chance he could, and the girls seem to always love listening to him. Marlin was known for his singing voice and playing the guitar. He also drove the nice cars, this led to him meeting Beverly Feist.

On January 4th, 1969, he married Beverly Feist from Ludlow SD. From this union of marriage, they welcomed four children. Kimberly in June of 1969; Scott in May of 1972; Brandee in July of 1976; and Bridget in August of 1977.

By 1978, Rudy and Ruth had retired and moved to town, leaving the homesteading to Marlin. Marlin worked long days in the fields and long nights during calving just as ranchers do. Kim and Scott eventually were old enough to start helping and that is when it became a family operation. Marlin was the neighborhood veterinarian for a time. When a neighbor needed a cesarean or something medical done, neighbors called him. Only having 6 weeks of high school education, Marlin was very sharp when it came to procedures, Math, Science and Music. As a farmer/rancher it is not unusual that hard times to fall upon them. The weather is a big factor and can make or break one’s year. Marlin had many jobs throughout his life but his passion for music never went away. He had a nice stereo system at home and that was always playing music. He would either pop in an 8-track or put on a 33 and he would dance with his little girls. So when he was asked to join the Troubadours with McGees and Millers in 1977, he couldn’t let the opportunity pass by. He played with the band until 1981. His favorite song to sing was Little Black Bug, by Buddy Meredith and Hello Walls by Faron Young. In 1982, he took a job working for the Koch plant south of Rhame. He worked there until he got injured from an eye weld burn in both eyes. Then from 1984 to 1987, Marlin, Bev, along with Bev’s sister Karen and Wayne Miller, bought the Hunters Table and Tavern. Between the family ranching, the restaurant, and other hard times, it all eventually took a toll on Marlin and Bev’s marriage, they split in 1988 and divorced in 1989. Rudy had died in 1989 and the farm was sold.With all that he was doing in life, he never lost sight of ranching. He talked about his cattle up until the day he passed.

As a rancher and his love for his cattle when springtime would come around, he would take his kids out to see the calves and drivealong with us laughing at the little babies running, jumping when the sun hit their backs. He just loved to watch them enjoy life and loved to see his children smile. He always got upset when he lost a calf, and I think he felt guilty for he couldn’t save them all. As most ranchers they want to try new things out, so he ventured out and tried raising Charolais mixing with his Black Angus. That didn’t go as planned so he sold the bulls.

As ranching was one of his important and very enjoyable things for Marlin, it wasn’t the only thing that he loved doing. He developed a passion of hunting at an early age, which developed into one of many fond memories of Marlin for lots of people. He had a special bond with his uncle Donald Egeland. Marlin was surrounded by 30 girl cousins and not many boys, so when he and Donalds son, Craig, started Hunting together, they became more like brothers than cousins. That relationship would eventually lead into the infamous group of Marlin, Craig, Wade Schaaf, Trace Wiffler, Monte Baiter. This group would host numerous hunters throughout the years. They also made several trips out to Wisdom MT elk hunting. Marlin was especially happy when his son, Scott and nephew Jason were old enough to go out. He enjoyed helping teach Scott, Jason and other young men how to hunt. The group only grew larger as their kids got older. Marlin, started to take his grandsons Hunter and Colton out, but than life took a turn. Their hunting adventures were just that, adventures and they were enjoyed by all. Then there were these snipe hunting adventures and these Fox hunting trips. I don’t think the fox hunting trips were really about fox hunting, but the guys way of getting away for some fun. Marlin always liked to pull the leg on those who were new to the area. He liked to find fun and humor in things.

Marlin, never really got over of the sale of the Vatne homesteadand it bothered him until the day he died. However, In the summer of 1989, he did find a glimmer of happiness, when he met Shannon Barth. That glimmer turned into a bright 34-year long companionship. During this courtship, Marlin worked for the Hunters Table and The Waterhole, until he decided in 1992 to take a job spraying for the Bowman County Weed & Board. One day he jumped off the spray truck, just like he always did after getting the chemicals mixed and that is when he broke his back, leading to his a lifelong of debilitating pain and back problems. Marlin and Shannon had lots of fun times. Whether it was taking a drive in the country showing her the place or other beautiful lands of Rhame; or joining friends and family for drinks and singing to a Merle Haggard song playing from the Jukebox. Any time there was Karaoke, Marlin would get up and sing the night away. There was the occasional beer bottle put in your face with the words saying to “Taker Buddy”. Which meant if there was a song that he liked and was singing, he wanted everyone to join in. Shannon was Marlin’slight for so many years. She brought new memories, and she took very good care of his until his passing.

When you meet someone like Marlin, he always left a good impression on people. People enjoyed his company, and he enjoyed people. He could tell the best stories and he could tell them in a way that made people laugh so. He had a charisma to his personality that even the young generation would come and sit with him and just listen. There wasn’t a person that didn’t meet him, that wouldn’t leave without singing “Mama Tried”

Even though Marlin didn’t have the best relationship with all of his children, he loved them all so very much. He talked about them and all their accomplishments. He was very proud of all of us. Then in 1994, he gained a new name. His first grandchild was bornand he was then forever “Papa”. His grandchildren brought so much joy to his life, and he has many stories of them too. He did have the pleasure of taking 2 of his grandsons out hunting when they were 3 years and 10 months. Not sure what he thought they could do but he wanted to pass down his passion of hunting to his grandsons.

Marlin is preceded in death by his parents, Rudy and Ruth(Egeland) Vatne, his sisters, Eileen (Tommy) Kalina, Dorothy (Robert) Holm, Doris (Lawrence) Domagala, Betty Jean Schleeve, brother-in-law Ronald Sarsland nephew Wayne Holm and niece Connie Jean Kalina and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

He is survived by his lifelong companion, Shannon Barth, his four children, Kim (David) Holt of Piedmont SD, Scott Vatne of Black Hawk, SD, Brandee Vatne, Denton TX, Bridget Vatne, Spearfish SD, Marlin is also survived by his seven precious grandchildren, who he loved so very much: Cassidy (Zach) Drevlow, Hunter Vatne, Colton Vatne, Zoey Holt, Marlea Vatne, Vin Vatne and Madison Vatne; Your Papa loved you all so very much.

Dad had lots of stories with lots of people. Here are just a few fond memories from some of his cousins for a few laughs. Please share your favorite memory(s) of our dad to bring smiles instead of tears.

To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Marlin R. Vatne, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.