Marvin Charles Midthun

Marvin Charles Midthun, of Aitkin, passed away peacefully at home on April 16, 2026. He was born on May 29, 1937, in Aitkin to Edwin and Emma (Mathson) Midthun.  Marv graduated from Aitkin High School in 1955 and went on to attend the University of Minnesota, where he earned both his undergraduate and law degrees. He later continued his studies at the American Institute for Foreign Trade (Thunderbird) in Arizona. In December of 1959, he married Beverly Petersen of Aitkin, beginning a partnership that would take them across the world and back again.  He began his career in the international department at Citibank, which led him to live in New York; Mexico City, Mexico; and Caracas, Venezuela. His final Citibank post was as manager of the first American bank in the Cayman Islands. Following these years abroad, Marv and his family returned to Aitkin, where he practiced law and developed both a real estate company and a title company. He was committed to his community, serving on the Aitkin School Board, the Bethlehem Lutheran Church Council, and helping found the first hospice organization in Aitkin.  Marv had an adventurous spirit. After high school, he hitchhiked across the United States and worked a summer in Three Sisters, Oregon. Later in life, he bicycled from Minnesota to Colorado, served as an instructor for Outward Bound in the Boundary Waters, and skied the American Birkebeiner in Wisconsin. His global outlook continued through service in the U.S. Peace Corps in Guatemala and as an election volunteer in Bosnia and Herzegovina as part of a United Nations peacekeeping mission. Beginning in 1994, Marv and Bev embarked on another decade abroad, as she served as a librarian at schools in Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Turkey, and Spain.  At home in Aitkin, Marv found fulfillment working the land and woods surrounding Section Ten Lake, where his great-grandparents had homesteaded. He designed and helped build two homes, cut trails through the woods, and planted thousands of trees, leaving a lasting legacy on the Point, which he loved.  Above all, Marv was deeply devoted to his family. He took great pride in following their lives closely – supporting their education, sports, careers, and travels, and maintaining a genuine curiosity about each of their paths. His steady encouragement and interest in their lives were a constant presence.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Beverly (Petersen) Midthun; his children, Charles (Karen) Midthun of Emerald Isle, North Carolina; Chris (Tricia) Midthun of Moraga, California; and Nancy (David) Morgan of Lakewood, Colorado; his grandchildren, Alexandria (John Steinmetz) Midthun, Anica (Ari) Bara, Annie and Molly Midthun, and Alex and John Morgan; and his great-grandchildren, Emma and Sylvia Steinmetz. He will also be missed by many friends and his extended family.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Edwin and Emma Midthun, and his brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Marcella (Finnerty) Midthun.

As per his wishes, a private family service will be held this summer when the family gathers. Burial will be in Bethlehem Cemetery at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Nordland Township, Aitkin. Memorials may be directed to Bethlehem Lutheran Church or a charity of the donor’s choice.  Arrangements are with Sorensen-Root-Thompson Funeral Home & Cremation Services in Aitkin.  www.srtfuneral.com

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