Marvin Sandler

Our Dod

Marvin Sandler was born in Buffalo, New York on May 9, 1930 to Benjamin and Rose Sandler during Mother’s Day weekend.  He was such a wonderful gift to everyone who knew him.  He grew up with his parents and older sister, Gerry, in Buffalo and completed the Automobile Mechanics course of study at Burgard Vocational High School on June 29, 1948.

Marvin was a proud Veteran.  On January 8, 1951, he entered active duty in the Military and as he would say, “Uncle Sam” brought him to San Marcos, Texas where he worked as a Helicopter Mechanic in the Air Force.  One day, while driving around and hanging out at Henslee’s in Lockhart, he met his beautiful wife, Dorothy Sandler.  Marvin and Dorothy married on May 29, 1953 in Corpus Christi, Texas.  They have always resided in Lockhart, Texas and had been married for almost 69 years.  There is not a single thing that he would not do for his wife, Dorothy.  She meant the world to him.

Marvin and Dorothy have three daughters, Marla, Lori, and Rhonda.  In 1968, after Dorothy went back to work, Marvin quickly learned how to fix ponytails in their hair and got all three girls to school in his blue station wagon.  It was always very evident how much he loved his wife and his family.

In the 1950’s, Marvin worked at the service station, Henslee’s.  He also had a front-end loader and hauled gravel, dirt, and trash for people.  Marvin started his own business with his shop and full-service gas station, Phillips – Sandler 66 Service, on South Main Street in Lockhart, Texas.  In 1976, he was offered a position at Glosserman Chevrolet where he retired after 36 years as their Service Consultant.  Everyone respected Marvin and had only great things to say about him.

As a mechanic, Marvin often worked with his abundance of tools, building and repairing things, as well as working on his vehicles with his grandson, Chris.  There was absolutely nothing he could not fix.  Though he didn’t know how to cook much, he made the best egg omelets, potato pancakes, and SpaghettiOs’s with weenies.  He loved his sardines and all of Dorothy’s cooking!

Marvin and Dorothy always enjoyed square dancing and traveling the United States attending national square dance conventions as presidents of their square dancing clubs.  Besides square dancing for over 50 years, they also loved going to all the country music shows, western swing festivals, going out to eat, and spending time with family and friends.  Marvin and Dorothy made so many wonderful friends and memories while doing what they loved. 

Marvin, our wonderful husband, dad, grandfather, and great grandfather is also known as Dod.  He was the most amazing man to ever touch our lives.  He was always there when you needed someone and taught us what love really means.  We are very blessed to call him our Dod.

Marvin passed away peacefully on the morning of March 17, 2022 at the age of 91 years old.

Marvin is preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin and Rose Sandler, and his sister, Geraldine Blum.  Marvin is survived and loved by his wife, Dorothy Sandler; daughters, Marla (Wayne) Stewart of Canyon Lake, Lori Morse of Houston, and Rhonda Wilhelm of Lockhart; grandchildren, Christopher Wilhelm, Sara Wilhelm, Allison Ellis, and Ashley Nohavitza; and great grandchildren, Madeline, Elizabeth, Paul, Aaron, Catherine, Jana, Noah, Abby, and Julianne.

We greatly appreciate and want to thank all his wonderful caregivers, including the great medical staff and the DaVita Kidney Care who had been there for him throughout the years.  On August 6, 2014, DaVita Lockhart Dialysis opened their doors with Marvin being their first and only patient.  For seven years, he sat in the same dialysis chair that they called “Marvin’s Chair”.  We would also like to thank his wonderful home health aide, Josephine Anderson, for spending time and being there for him while keeping an extra set of eyes on him.    

A Celebration of Life will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022 at 2:00 at Eeds Funeral Home in Lockhart, Texas.