Obituary of Howard Gordon Marlin

Howard G. Marlin, 83, of Niles, passed away at home surrounded by family on Tuesday, May 31, 2022. On January 18, 1939, Howard was born in Gaylord, Michigan, to the late Orin and Dena (Vos) Marlin. Howard was born in northern Michigan but was raised in the Michiana area and stayed for the entirety of his life. After graduating high school Howard found work in the manufacturing business and worked as a licensed forklift driver until eventually retiring. Along the way, Howard met his future wife, Rose Saulsberry, at work during a rubber band fight and the two eventually started a family of their own. When Howard was able to get some time off, he would enjoy taking trips across the country, as it was his goal to eventually visit every state. He wasn’t always much of a planner so typically there were hiccups along the way but they would always end up making it back home safe. During a trip to the Grand Canyon, the breaks on the family’s vehicle gave out as they were on a winding downward route that had no guardrail on the cliffside. Howard managed to keep his very mellow, calm, demeanor even though everybody else was close to a heart attack. The effort was always there when he was putting a trip together or building something, but the road was typically bumpy along the way. He dabbled in carpentry, building a garage of his own, but unfortunately, there were hard lessons learned along the way. Regardless of the quality or the end result, Howard took pride in his work and was proud of the things he was able to accomplish. Anybody that knew him would agree to the fact that he was a little stubborn and always sure of himself which always ended up either being a little entertaining or a little frustrating but as long as things panned out the way he wanted to, things would be okay. He was a very hard-working man and when he did have time off and wasn’t traveling or working on a project one could probably find him working on puzzles, word searches, cross patches, or jigsaw puzzles with his grandkids. He would also make trips out to the golf course for stress relief and time spent with whoever would go with him. He was a devout Christian and held his faith close to his heart, attending the Church of Christ in Niles. He wasn’t necessarily a social butterfly but he did enjoy the company of his church family. Howard was a humble, honest man who will be missed dearly by his friends, family, and loved ones. Those preceding Howard in death include his parents, Orin and Dena (Vos) Marlin; his brothers, Edward Lloyd, Kenneth Leroy, Richard Lloyd, and Donald Eugene; sisters, Evelyne Mae, Margaret Louise, and Elizabeth Ann; as well as other extended family members and friends. Surviving Howard is his wife, Rose Marlin; two sons, Howard (Stephanie) Marlin II, and Todd (Jennifer) Marlin; five of his siblings, Robert Marlin, James Marlin, Jack Marlin, Jerry (Christina) Marlin, and Bonnie Velez; two grandchildren, Faith Baxter-Marlin, and Rehanna Miller; as well as many other friends and extended family members. Services for Howard will be held graveside at Mission Hills Memorial Gardens on June 6, 2022. Visitation will begin at 12 p.m. and the service will start at 1:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Rose Marlin.