Obituary for John Marvin Pottinger
JOHN MARVIN POTTINGER, JR.
1959 - 2020
Marv passed away peacefully on the evening of July 27, in the presence of his family. He is survived by his wife Adelle and sons Nico and Gareth. He is also survived by his parents John Marvin Sr. and Lorraine Pottinger and sister Rose Pottinger; and Adelle’s parents Irene and Peter Priess and her sister Janice Priess (Michael Quirion).
He was predeceased by his grandparents Lawrence and Dora Pottinger and Howard and Marion Miller. Survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. There was a special place in the heart of Aunt Sharon Moore, for Marvie.
Marve was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 16th, 1969. Mom, dad and Marvie moved to Winnipeg in 1970. When Marvie was three, he travelled by train with Granny, Dora Pottinger, to Terrace, BC. He was such a great traveller, that when he got home, the family drove to Nova Scotia. He made many trips to Nova Scotia with Rosie, both having fun in the homemade beds in the backseat, long before seatbelts. Reading, playing games, having picnics made for great trips.
He once fell on the step, hitting his head hard enough to cause a lump. He didn’t want to go the doctor or the hospital because he thought they would pound the bump back in with a hammer.
Marve grew up in Brooklands, attending both Krawchyk and Butterworth Schools. During those years, he discovered reading and movies, mainly Star Wars. He was eight when the original movie came out and was instantly hooked. Thus began a lifelong passion for anything Star Wars. Marve became an avid reader and devoured anything you put in front of him. Which also led him to become very interested in how things worked. So began a fascination with taking things apart. Sometimes they did manage to get back together and working again. Sometimes.
Marve had a wide array of interests growing up. Riding his bike, Collecovision, swimming, books and the army. He graduated from Sturgeon Creek Collegiate in 1986 at the age of 16. He worked at the Salisbury House on Ellice for years, until he joined the army. He went through basic training once. And then a second time.
Graduating from basic training in BC in 1991. Marve had made his dream come true. He was in the Army now. And now went by the name of John, Johnny Boy, Pottinger etc He travelled across Canada to various bases and was posted to Gagetown for a number of years. Being on the East Coast, Marve was able to create stronger bonds with all the relatives down home and able to visit a fair amount. He also became a volunteer for the Search and Rescue in New Brunswick.
During his career, Marve was deployed to Rwanda on a peacekeeping mission in 1994 and another to Bosnia in 1999. His time spent over seas was disarming bombs and land mines and creating safe compounds for the people of those countries. In 1997, he came home to Manitoba, during the flood of the century, to build bridges in rural Manitoba. Master Corporal Pottinger was a proud Canadian soldier and loved his career.
New Year’s Eve of 1998/1999, Marve and Adelle met at a party and played Star Wars Trivial Pursuit, partnered together with his extreme knowledge and her lack of, to make a fair playing ground. Thus began twenty plus years of togetherness.
In the summer of 2000 Adelle joined Marv in New Brunswick. Marv was released from the military in June 2002 and he and Adelle moved back to Winnipeg the same month. Nico was born in September 2002 and Gareth was born March 2004. They were married Feb 29, 2012 (so he only had to remember it every 4 years). While he was home from the hospital for a bit in June he was able to be at Nico’s graduation, such as it was due to Covid restrictions. He also recently started playing PokémonGo© and he and Nico spent a lot of time playing it together, or with him asking questions and Nico offering advice. He also went from not really being interested in hockey to being an avid fan, doing whatever he could to be at as many of G’s games as he could.
Marve never asked for much in life and was always working when his health was stable enough. He loved his boys with all his heart and would do anything for them. Marve, you deserved the best.
There will be a viewing Thursday evening, 6:00 to 8:00 PM. at Friends Funeral Service, 2146 Main St, Due to social distancing, access may be restricted.
A graveside service will be held in Brookside Cemetery Field of Honour at 10:30 AM, Friday August 7. For those attending, on arrival, please wait at the gate to be conducted, in procession, to the grave site. For personal comfort, bring an umbrella and/or a lawn chair.
Due to allergies, no flowers please; donations may be made to the Bergen Cardiac Care Clinic (St. Boniface Hospital) or to Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba.
1959 - 2020
Marv passed away peacefully on the evening of July 27, in the presence of his family. He is survived by his wife Adelle and sons Nico and Gareth. He is also survived by his parents John Marvin Sr. and Lorraine Pottinger and sister Rose Pottinger; and Adelle’s parents Irene and Peter Priess and her sister Janice Priess (Michael Quirion).
He was predeceased by his grandparents Lawrence and Dora Pottinger and Howard and Marion Miller. Survived by numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. There was a special place in the heart of Aunt Sharon Moore, for Marvie.
Marve was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 16th, 1969. Mom, dad and Marvie moved to Winnipeg in 1970. When Marvie was three, he travelled by train with Granny, Dora Pottinger, to Terrace, BC. He was such a great traveller, that when he got home, the family drove to Nova Scotia. He made many trips to Nova Scotia with Rosie, both having fun in the homemade beds in the backseat, long before seatbelts. Reading, playing games, having picnics made for great trips.
He once fell on the step, hitting his head hard enough to cause a lump. He didn’t want to go the doctor or the hospital because he thought they would pound the bump back in with a hammer.
Marve grew up in Brooklands, attending both Krawchyk and Butterworth Schools. During those years, he discovered reading and movies, mainly Star Wars. He was eight when the original movie came out and was instantly hooked. Thus began a lifelong passion for anything Star Wars. Marve became an avid reader and devoured anything you put in front of him. Which also led him to become very interested in how things worked. So began a fascination with taking things apart. Sometimes they did manage to get back together and working again. Sometimes.
Marve had a wide array of interests growing up. Riding his bike, Collecovision, swimming, books and the army. He graduated from Sturgeon Creek Collegiate in 1986 at the age of 16. He worked at the Salisbury House on Ellice for years, until he joined the army. He went through basic training once. And then a second time.
Graduating from basic training in BC in 1991. Marve had made his dream come true. He was in the Army now. And now went by the name of John, Johnny Boy, Pottinger etc He travelled across Canada to various bases and was posted to Gagetown for a number of years. Being on the East Coast, Marve was able to create stronger bonds with all the relatives down home and able to visit a fair amount. He also became a volunteer for the Search and Rescue in New Brunswick.
During his career, Marve was deployed to Rwanda on a peacekeeping mission in 1994 and another to Bosnia in 1999. His time spent over seas was disarming bombs and land mines and creating safe compounds for the people of those countries. In 1997, he came home to Manitoba, during the flood of the century, to build bridges in rural Manitoba. Master Corporal Pottinger was a proud Canadian soldier and loved his career.
New Year’s Eve of 1998/1999, Marve and Adelle met at a party and played Star Wars Trivial Pursuit, partnered together with his extreme knowledge and her lack of, to make a fair playing ground. Thus began twenty plus years of togetherness.
In the summer of 2000 Adelle joined Marv in New Brunswick. Marv was released from the military in June 2002 and he and Adelle moved back to Winnipeg the same month. Nico was born in September 2002 and Gareth was born March 2004. They were married Feb 29, 2012 (so he only had to remember it every 4 years). While he was home from the hospital for a bit in June he was able to be at Nico’s graduation, such as it was due to Covid restrictions. He also recently started playing PokémonGo© and he and Nico spent a lot of time playing it together, or with him asking questions and Nico offering advice. He also went from not really being interested in hockey to being an avid fan, doing whatever he could to be at as many of G’s games as he could.
Marve never asked for much in life and was always working when his health was stable enough. He loved his boys with all his heart and would do anything for them. Marve, you deserved the best.
There will be a viewing Thursday evening, 6:00 to 8:00 PM. at Friends Funeral Service, 2146 Main St, Due to social distancing, access may be restricted.
A graveside service will be held in Brookside Cemetery Field of Honour at 10:30 AM, Friday August 7. For those attending, on arrival, please wait at the gate to be conducted, in procession, to the grave site. For personal comfort, bring an umbrella and/or a lawn chair.
Due to allergies, no flowers please; donations may be made to the Bergen Cardiac Care Clinic (St. Boniface Hospital) or to Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba.