Marvin P. Dayton, 85, of Montezuma died October 12, 2010, at his home. Funeral services are scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, October 18, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell with the Rev. John Epperson, Grinnell Christian Church, officiating. Organist will be Marilyn Kriegel and vocalists will be Patty Lang and Mary Jo Seaton. Pallbearers will be Bill, Clark, Dave, and Tom Dayton, Ron Phipps, and Joseph Yearian. Honorary bearers will be Bill Bushong, Gregory Floyd, Jim Hicks, Gary Worral, and Michael Yearian. Burial will be in Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Visitation will be held from 12:00 noon to 7:00 p.m. Sunday at the Smith Funeral Home and where the family will be present from 4:00 to 6:00 Sunday afternoon. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Montezuma Ambulance Fund. Marvin was born March 12, 1925, in Brooklyn, Iowa, the son of Ray K. and Etta Bernice Force Dayton. He was raised in the Malcom area and was a 1943 graduate of Malcom High School. He entered the United States Navy on June 16, 1943 and served 6 years as a crewman on a Navy Dive Bomber. He was honorably discharge on June 14, 1949. In August of 1952, he was united in marriage to Roma Joy Matteson, in Grinnell and where the couple made their home. To this union 3 children were born, Clark, Kim and Lori. He was employed at International Harvester in Grinnell for several years and later was employed for 21 years as a letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office. On May 18, 1985, he was united in marriage to Carolyn L. Badger Phipps, at the Grinnell First Baptist Church. The couple lived in Grinnell for several years and in 1988 they moved to an acreage near Ewart. In 2000, they moved to their current home in Montezuma. Marvin was a member of the American Legion Post #733 in Malcom since 1945, and had participated in many offices and activities. He was very patriotic and for several years had been a Boy Scout leader. He had traveled to all 50 states. He enjoyed spending time with his family, working in his vegetable garden, camping, fishing at Diamond Lake near Montezuma, and participating in a bowling league. He enjoyed working with wood and was noted for his craftsmanship. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn of Montezuma; three children, Clark (Pat) Dayton of Pasadena, Maryland, Kim Dayton of Marshalltown, and Lori (Jeff) Beason of Beacon; four step children, Steve (Judy) Phipps of Soldotna, Alaska, Connie (Larry) Yearian of Grinnell, Cindy Ritchie of Montezuma, and Ron (Sherri) Phipps of Choctaw, Oklahoma; three grandchildren, Melissa, Emily, and Stacey; eight step grandchildren, Michael, Joseph, Melissa, Levi, Cody, Gregory, Charyl and Vernon; four great-grandchildren, Jimmy, Olivia, Taylor, and Isaac; two step great-grandchildren, Makenna and Keaton, and one unborn step great-grandchild; three brothers, Wayne of Grinnell, Eugene of New Sharon, and Lawrence of Malcom; one sister, Roberta Dayton of Eldridge, Iowa; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Lucille Innis.