Marvin Staton's Obituary
July 14, 1939 Marvin Staton (Moot) entered this world in Rocky Mt, North Carolina along with his twin brother who did not survive. Resting peacefully at home he transitioned to his heavenly father on March 31, 2024 at 12:00 noon on Resurrection Sunday. Marvin arrived a decade later than his older siblings, Gladys and Charles and thus was doted on by the entire family. As a country boy he reflected on how he and his friends would eat all the plums off the tree. Ironically, he would often recall how much trouble he got into when he spilled plum juice on his new suit on Resurrection Sunday.
As a boy he excelled in academics as well as sports. He graduated from Booker T. Washington H.S. which of course, according to him, the best school in the nation. He was a star athlete excelling in basketball, football and the school choir where he was noted for his melodic tenor voice. Soon thereafter, he married Dorothy Carr, to this union four children were born, two preceding him in death. Marvin later decided that he wanted to leave the country life behind and experience the big city. He moved to Portsmouth, Virginia and began working in his sister's store. There he learned about the opportunities in New York City and ventured to begin a new life. He was always ambitious and industrious in his pursuits. Arriving in New York, he held many jobs, dishwasher, cook, mover, brick mason apprentice, painter and carpenter. Then one day, he helped save a life until Paramedics arrived. They informed him he needed to go to school and become EMT certified. It was in the medical field that he found his niche. He graduated from Herbert H. Lehman College. Marvin became an EMT Paramedic, a Respiratory Therapist, CPR and Advanced Life Support Instructor; ultimately the Director of Medical Instructional Services of Montifoire Einstein Medical Center from which he retired with 30 years of service. Following retirement Marvin still utilized his skill. He taught at biannual conferences and volunteered at senior centers and churches for those seeking to be certified in CPR and ACLS.
Never forgetting his church roots, Marvin participated in the Citywide Gospel Choir, the James Cleveland Workshop choir, The D.E.R. Choral Ensemble and appeared in the theatrical production, The Amen Corner. It was in the Citywide Gospel Choir and D.E.R. that Marvin met his wife of 34 years, Arlina. They sang together for almost 20 years before thy married. He then became an ardent member of the Victory Baptist Church in Bronx, New York, where he gave many concerts to raise money for scholarships. As life evolved they moved out of the city to Virginia. There they were blessed with a son DeShaun and began teaching him the value of faith and the church community. Marvin joined the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church, and later New Jerusalem Ministries founded by one of the newly ordained pastors from Pleasant Grove. Dr. Veronica Coleman.
New Jerusalem was a home away from home. He loved the choir, the Medical Ministry and the Men's Ministry. He was particularly enthusiastic about the chess ministry founded for at risk youth in the school system to foster behavior modification. Marvin, himself was a strategic game player. He liked to win, but more so, blocking his opponent from winning. This could be checkers, cards, chess or his favorite passion shooting pool and Billiards. He loved to come home and talk about how he strategized shots as he played his buddies Elder Dukes and Deacon Hockaday. He even had his favorite companion Blaze (the dog) shooting pool with his paw.
Moving to Georgia he knew finding a church home would be an arduous task as nowhere, he thought, could compare to the brothers at New Jerusalem. After a year of searching, he found Macedonia Baptist Church. He longed to begin a chess ministry like the one at New Jerusalem. Personally he became enthralled in bible study and sought to become deeper and deeper into the word. When Sunday morning came he was like a race car that couldn't wait to get out the gate. Marvin was a jack of all trades and mastered many. Without having professional training, he would get a song on his mind and begin playing it on the piano, build shelves without a schematic blueprint, and many other pursuits. He was an old western and military movie enthusiast. He could get so engrossed he heard nothing else. Traveling was also a passion, during the early years of marriage, it was common to travel out of the country at least four times a year.
Although miles apart and with a slew of memories Marvin remembers all the kids that either hung out at the house or even lived with us for awhile. They all became his God children. Many still call him dad, pops and godfather. Leaving to mourn but cherishing fond memories: Arlina, Wife; Rosetta Barrow, Aunt who resided with him, Sons; DeShaun and Marvin; Brother-in-laws, Patience Higgins (N.Y.) and Derrick Gray (CT), Buddies; Deacon Leonard Hockaday, Elder Dukes, Donald Dunlap, Thomas Barr and Kenneth Richardson; Prayer Partner, Rev. Ruby Hale; Godchildren, Komari Bailey, Kyoto Cotton, The Victory Baptist Crew, New Jerusalem Ministries, Heritage Point Neighbors and a host of nieces, cousins, and close connections made throughout his journey. Please feel free to view/sign the guestbook and send comforting words of encouragement to the family.
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