Mr. Marvin Campbell Fortner

Marvin Campbell Fortner, 51, of Columbia, passed away on Saturday, March 13, 2021. Born in Birmingham, AL, on August 11, 1969, he was the son of Texa Campbell Fortner and the late Robert Ray Fortner, Sr. Marvin was a graduate of Brookland-Cayce High School and attended Spartanburg Methodist College. Marvin devoted his life to serving others through his work as a paramedic. He worked for many EMS services throughout the state of South Carolina since 1991. He most recently worked for Rapid Reliable Testing, supervising testing for Coronavirus. Marvin rarely wanted recognition, yet received it often from his community in various ways. He was an avid outdoorsman, always camping, fishing, boating, hiking, and any outdoor activity spent with his family, friends, and dogs. He dabbled in gardening and was passionate about cars. He also loved watches and clocks, probably because he knew it was a sin to be late. Those who knew Marvin knew that fifteen minutes early was right on time. His greatest love was for his wife and children, only to be surpassed by his love for Ellie, his faithful guard dachshund. Marvin was a lover of singing, music, words, and puns; his dry sense of humor was well-known by family and friends. Marvin’s faith was at the forefront of his life. Growing up at Mt. Hebron United Methodist Church established a strong foundation for his relationship with God, followed by his years of service at Camp Fellowship. During his adult life, he enjoyed raising his family at Trenholm Road United Methodist Church. Leading by example, he served the church in many ways: volunteering as a leader for youth group, mentoring confirmands, and occasionally teaching Sunday school. He is survived by his wife, Claudia Langley Fortner; daughter, Novella Seabrook (Brook) Fortner; son, Robert (Campbell) Fortner; daughter, Janie Elizabeth Fortner; brother, Robert Ray Fortner, Jr. (Deborah); sister, Novella Fortner Beskid (Jim); brother-in-law, Arthur Buist (Hank) Langley, III (Hart); sister-in-law, Janie Elizabeth Langley; nieces and nephews, Alexandra and Ray, Austin and Caroline, Anne, Allie and Elizabeth. The memorial service for Marvin Fortner will be held at 11 o’clock, Friday, March 19th, at Shives Funeral Home, Trenholm Road Chapel, 7600 Trenholm Road Ext., Columbia, with Rev. Joel Jones officiating. The family will receive friends following the service at the funeral home. Masks and social distancing are required. For those unable to attend, a livestream of the service will be available by visiting his tribute page at ShivesFuneralHome.com. Memorials may be made to Fellowship Camp and Conference Center at 457 Camp Fellowship Circle, Waterloo, SC 29384.

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Mr. Marvin Campbell Fortner

August 11, 1969 - March 13, 2021