Marvin Denny; a life well lived.
Marvin Denny was born on October 13, 1930, in Childress, Texas. He got his first model for his 6th birthday; it was a Megow rubber powered model. Marvin and his friend Hathaway McGee built models together during World War ll. They were often harrassed by McGee's young red haired sister. Marvin's father took him to contests in these early days and provided him with guidance that lasted through the rest of his life.
Marvin Joined the United States Air Force in 1950. He spent his whole enlistment in Texas! He went to basic training at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Airframe and Engine training at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls Texas, first permanent assignment was in Fort Worth, Texas at Carswell AFB. His final Air Force Assignment was at Biggs AFB in El Paso, Texas. Marvin worked on B-36's and C-124's. The B-36 was his favorite.
Marvin did some modeling at Sheppard AFB, and flew all four classes of speed. (A,B,C, and D) He got on the base modeling team and was flown to the New York Mirror Meet, and traveled to the Nats by USAF bus.
While stationed at Carswell, Marvin took a leave back home and his mother reintroduced him to Hathaway McGee's little red haired sister. Her name was Aurelia (pronounced aw-real-yah) and she had changed considerably!
They were married a year later, and modeling took a back seat for a while. Marvin and Ree are the proud parents of sons David, Dan, Roger, and one daughter, Nikki.
Marvin was discharged from the USAF, and finally settled in Amarillo with an aviation job. He and his family went to a lot of contests. In 1968, back trouble developed and Marvin put modeling on the back burner again. His job in Amarillo ended, and he transferred to Wichita, Kansas.
Modeling started again, and he and Aurelia went to 10 - 15 AMA nationals and dozens of lesser contests. During this period, Marvin won Slow Combat at the 1979 AMA Lincoln Nats and won Old Time Stunt at the 1994 Nats in Lubbock, Texas. Marvin designed four items for Fox Manufacturing; the stud prop shaft and the elevated venturi for the Mark 4 combat special, and stuffer backplate and hemi head for the Fox .35 stunt engine.
Of all the people who Marvin met, he gives credit to two; his dad, who taught him the importance of knowing and flying by the rules and using safe equipment, and His wife Aurelia, who knew when to encourage him and when to cool him off.
Marvin Denny passed away on Friday, January 30, 2015 at home with his wife and family at his side.
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