Obituary of Marvin Leon Wyatt

Marvin Leon Wyatt was born August 28, 1934 in Wellsville Utah to Marvin and Katherine Wyatt. 16 months later Warren join the family. Leon and Warren were raised by their paternal grandmother until his father remarried LeVon  Palmer.  A sister, Ramona, and brother Norman completed the family.

He attended school in Utah until age 12 when the family moved to Osgood Idaho in 1946. He attended Osgood Elementary, then Idaho Falls high school. He was drafted into the army in 1956 and spent two years serving in Korea. while in Korea. he was a heavy weapon specialist in the seventh division upon leaving active service. Leon joined the Idaho Army National  Guard’s 116th engineer battalion.  He was assigned as first sergeant of headquarters company.  As a direct result of his outstanding leadership, and his ability to organize, this unit surpassed all previous levels on performance training and administration.  In later assignments, he served equally successful as 1st  sergeant of company, A and company C  of the 116th.  In 1979. Leon was selected as the Commandant  of the noncommissioned officer education system and command, and sergeant major of the Idaho military .  During this assignment, the NCOES program established standards of performance and training that were accepted by the  active army as an Army wide standard.  Under  his guidance the NCOES was awarded the outstanding unit award for several years of Outstanding performance. Leon served in this position until his retirement in 1984. Leon had accrued 24 years of credible service.  He received many awards and service medals.  Among them were two awards of the humanitarian service ribbon, several awards of the good conduct medal, two of the army commendation medal and Meritorious service medal. Leon was an outstanding example of leadership, poise, and military bearing. He was highly respected by both officers and enlisted members. Junior CEOs were eager to identify him as their role model.

Leon has always been involved in transportation, from long-haul truck driving to driving bus. He started at INEL as a security guard in 1960.  In 1967, He started as a bus driver. While in training Mr. Wyatt slept in!  Then on August 5, 1968 he slept in again,  resulting in being 30 minutes late for work. On August 13 he failed to turn in a defect card on his bus. Thus he acquired a nickname of Wyatt Earp! In 1978, Leon became a driver trainer then Foreman at the service station. He ended his career there as one of the operation supervisors and retired in 1994. Leon had a myriad of jobs until the decision was made to move to Meridian Idaho in 2000.

A month later as he was coming home, he decided to follow a school bus back to their yard. He went inside and came out with a job as a school bus driver starting on the next Monday for the Meridian school district. He drove bus, became a supervisor,  and retired in 2011 and stayed on as an on-call driver until his final retirement in 2022.

On February 21, 1959 Leon was married to LuJean Sessions. They made their home in Idaho Falls. They had three beautiful children: Kelly Leon, Kari Lynn and Miekle  Lane.  Little Kari Lynn passed away in 1964. Kelly came home from school one day and announced,” Dad You are our new basketball coach”! Leon was thrilled and finished out the season. He gathered all the kids in the truck and took them to practice. Leon said when Miekle was little, they all dressed in their nice clothes to go to an event. Leon told Miekle, “ don’t get dirty”!  So, like a  typical little boy what did Miekle do? He went outside and promptly found a mud puddle. Dad was not happy! Miekle  was cleaned off with the garden hose! Leon really loved being a dad and did so many things with his boys. His kids were his pride and joy.

 After  a divorce in 1971 Leon had various jobs:  national guard involvement,  and truck driving. He then met Mary Ann and they were married on April 26, 1973. Throughout their married life they have lived in Ririe, Saint Anthony and Idaho Falls when they decided to make their final move to Meridian Idaho in 2000 where they currently reside.

 Throughout their great life together they rode motorcycles with fabulous friends, traveled to fun places,  were snowbirds in California with both brothers and their wives and had way too much fun together playing cards, bocce ball, dancing, karaoke and making treasured memories. Leon is blessed to have four special grandchildren Heather, Chris, Cody, and Michelle along with three almost 4 great grandchildren.  He always loved being with them and giving them” tease time”— he just loved kids in general and they loved him.

Cousin  Marlene remembers Easter picnics at the cinder pit or at Heise. They were cutting potatoes together one time and she said do you know “I Love You Truly”? and he said, “ you do”? She wanted him to sing this song at her wedding reception and he did.  Also, Leon took Marlene to a formal dance at the high school.  Kids at that time did not have access to cars so he ended up taking her to the dance in her formal in the farm truck. They had a good time anyway.

A granddaughter remembers when grandpa had a yellow truck with a great sounding horn. “When I went with you and grandma and you would let me honk it . When  I would come over and stay the weekend and grandpa would barbecue I was wearing a green jumpsuit And acting all crazy. I just looked up at you and put my hands on my face and said to myself, “what an amazing grandpa! “ Over the past 50 years Leon has made Mary Ann feel loved, safe and secure, and valued. He was truly her” knight in shining armor.”