Marvin G. Gislason, Jr.

Marvin (“Marv”) Gerald Gislason, Jr., age 77, passed away September 16, 2025, in Tucson, AZ.

Born and raised in North Dakota, of which he remembered fondly, he moved with his family to Tucson, AZ in high school and met the 56+ year love of his life, Cheryl ("Cher"). He enlisted in the US Navy after graduation and during Vietnam served on the USS Kamehameha SSBN-642 nuclear-powered submarine. During that time, Marv and Cher married and lived in Hawaii and South Carolina. When they returned to Tucson to build their family, he parlayed his skills and fearlessness into a 34-year accident-free career as an IBEW journeyman substation electrician with Tucson Electric Power.

A semi-hippie at heart, he was passionate about his long, uniquely dark Icelandic hair, his Hawaiian shirts and sandals, and his political opinions. He spent hours each day watering and nurturing his garden and plants while listening to classic rock on the radio, taking care of his best canine companions, Bentley and Coco, and watching news, sports, The Weather Channel, and the Food Network.

His other true loves were his immediate family: his daughters, Jennifer Gislason, Brooklyn, NY, Valerie Jones (Tom), Garden Grove, CA, grandchildren, Victoria Plank and Ryan Plank of Del Mar, CA, sister, Susan Gislason and niece, Ryan Falconer (Lucas), both of Claremont, CA. He cared deeply for his extended aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends that were family.

Marv is preceded in death by his parents, Marvin Sr. and Lorraine, as well as his parents-in-law, Al and Peg Kelly.

Friends and family are invited to a visitation on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, between 4-8 p.m. at Bring’s Memorial Chapel, 6910 E. Broadway Blvd., Tucson, AZ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marv’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, The Community Foodbank of Southern Arizona, or KXCI 91.3 Tucson Community Radio.