Marvin Lee Matheny was born on February 17, 1929, in Kermit, Texas to Charles Louis and Edna Overton Matheny.  He died on July 9, 2026, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Marvin spent his preschool years in Phillips, Texas, followed by a move to the community of Spring Creek in Hutchinson County where his father was chief engineer at the Phillips Petroleum Company's Texroy gasoline plant. He had an advantageous rural environment growing up during his Spring Creek Elementary and Borger High School years. He graduated at age 17 and lived independently while working on oil drilling rigs in North Texas.

In the fall of 1947, he entered the University of New Mexico on a football scholarship.  In addition to being a four-year Lobo, his accomplishments include a BS in petroleum geology and minor degrees in petroleum engineering and naval science engineering.  Within days after graduation in 1952, he was commissioned as an ensign in the United States Navy and married his college sweetheart, Carrollyn Williams, in Panhandle, Texas. He immediately reported for duty aboard the USS Devastator (AM 318) at Long Beach, California. The ship did a nine-month tour sweeping enemy mines from the near-shore waters of North Korea. A second tour to Sasebo, Japan, continued the same mission and promotion to LTJG with new duties as engineer officer and senior watch officer. His ship won the Navy "E" as best minesweeper in the Pacific fleet during this tour.

Marvin began his career as a petroleum geologist with El Paso Natural Gas Company in Farmington, New Mexico, in 1954. For the next 43 years, in his exploration for oil and gas production, he was with El Paso, one of its subsidiary groups or a merged successor company.  These operations were conducted throughout the continental U.S. and Eastern Canada with residences in Farmington, NM; Casper, WY; Toronto, CAN; and Canton, OH.  During his second Farmington era in the 1960s and 70s, he held many volunteer roles of leadership and service in professional, civic, educational, religious and sport organizations.

He married Jo Ann Jacobson Wilson in 1978 and commenced a new chapter of exploration (Anadarko Basin - Midcontinent Region) in the Amarillo, Texas office.  This was a major change in the geology of his earlier areas and a rewarding benchmark of his geological career.  In 1987, operations moved to Houston, Texas, following a merger into Burlington Resources Corporation and, subsequently, Conoco-Phillips Petroleum Corporation, Marvin remained the oldest and most tenured member of the Burlington group until his retirement in 1997.

Marvin and Jo Ann settled north of Houston on Lake Conroe sharing their waterfront home with family and friends and continuing their European and stateside travel.  They returned to New Mexico in 2007.

Marvin is survived by his wife "Jo Hanna" Matheny; sons Paul (Debbie) Matheny, Arvada, CO, and Bill Matheny, Albuquerque, NM; stepsons Brian Wilson, Houston, TX, and Kevin Wilson, Albuquerque, NM; six grandchildren, Jessica, Matthew, Lauren, Logan, Kelsey and Crystal; 10 great grandchildren; and two siblings, Delroy Matheny and Shirley Brunsdale, both of Mesa, AZ.  He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, two siblings, Orville and Pauline, and granddaughter, Alison.

In honor of Marvin's life and legacy, contributions may be made to Joy Junction, Albuquerque ( joyjunction.org ), an agency serving homeless families, where he donated hundreds of his wood-crafted toys.

A memorial service will be held at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, Albuquerque, on Friday, July 31, at 2:00 p.m.  Innichement will take place at a later date at St. James Episcopal Church Columbarium, Conroe, Texas.