Born on July 29, 1960, to Gerald and Katie, Marty was raised in the small town of Breda, Iowa, and was damn proud of it! He graduated from St. Bernard's Catholic High School and earned an Associates Degree in Auto Mechanics from Iowa Central Community College. Following that, he began his career as an electrician and later started his own company, Van’s Electric. In 1999, he moved his family to Cedar Rapids, where he joined the IBEW local 405 and worked at Hawkeye Electric for 25 years. He took pride in his work and remained dedicated to his trade until his final days.

In January 1983, Marty met the love of his life, Tammy, and they were married on April 27, 1984. Together, they shared 40 years of love filled with all the fun and chaos that comes from having five mini-Martys running around. He was more than just an amazing father and husband, he was also our best friend. He brought so much joy and laughter to his family and to those who knew him. You could recognize that laugh in any room, or two rooms away, really. He was a strong presence in the kids’ lives. If there was a lesson to be learned, you better believe it was taught. When in doubt, he was the first call made when you had a question. Through it all, Marty worked hard to ensure the family had everything they needed to be happy, healthy, and successful. He was the glue.

In his younger years, Marty enjoyed working on his 1967 Ford Mustang with a 428 Cobra Jet engine and made sure everyone knew about it. He also spent his time playing softball for the Breda Zekers, fishing with his brothers and father, and passionately coaching his children’s various sports teams. In his later years, he enjoyed watching movies in his recliner and doing sudoku puzzles; the harder the better. In fact, Marty’s lifelong love for puzzles drove him to seek out and solve any problem presented to him; electrical, mechanical, or otherwise, and he passed this passion and skill on to his children.

There was not a person Marty didn’t treat with respect, compassion, and a healthy dose of humor; whether he’d known them for decades or only interacted with them for a few seconds. He never missed a chance to razz restaurant servers with bad dad jokes or rile everyone up with his notorious Rick Flair ‘Woo!’ He reveled in telling tales of his high school years, notorious stories of rabble-rousing, and the occasional “friendly” chat with the county sheriff. He always put others before himself and seized every chance to share his boisterous joy.

Marty lived his faith every day of his life, caring for others, volunteering his time, and loving life deeply without letting any challenges darken his light. He eagerly took on leadership roles in men's groups, participated in parish committees, and volunteered to keep church grounds beautiful. The volume and passion he brought to the church choir were rivaled only by his notorious, bellowing laugh.

Marty’s work ethic was unmatched, and he jumped at every chance to share his talents with those around him. He worked on countless projects for friends and friends-of-friends, and always put solving the problem ahead of any concerns about repayment. He effortlessly gave himself to help the people he loved. That love was unconditional, even if it came with a handful of pointed questions. His experiences in life shaped his passion and humor, and in turn, left a lasting impression on everyone he ever met.

May Marty’s memory bring comfort to those who knew them.

Marty is survived by his parents; wife, Tamera; children, Mitchell (Emily), Keith (Caroline), Timothy (Haley), Joseph, and Claire; grandchildren, Parker, Cora, and Sawyer; siblings, Cindy (Dan) Bieret, Joan (Brian) Hoffman, Tom (Kathy) Van Erdewyk, Mike (Susan) Van Erdewyk, Sue (Randy) Ausman, and John (Tami) Van Erdewyk; brother-in-law, James Milne; mother-in-law, Marilyn (John) Ketter-Boulware; and siblings-in-law, Kim Frady (Tom), Marybeth (Scott) Townsend, Scott (Jane) Boulware, Matt (Kendra) Boulware, and Clay (Carolyn) Boulware.

Marty was preceded in death by his sister, Lisa Milne; brother-in-law, Tracy Boulware; and father-in-law, Scotty Boulware. He joins them in eternal life with Jesus Christ.

Visitation will be held Thursday, February 27, 2025, from 4-6:00 p.m., with a Vigil Service starting at 3:45 p.m., at Stewart Baxter Funeral Home, located at 1844 1st Avenue NE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a Funeral Mass will be held in his honor on February 28, 2025, at 11:00 AM, at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, located at 1350 Lyndhurst Drive in Hiawatha, Iowa. A visitation will occur one hour before the mass.