Michael G. Tarvin

Michael Gordon Tarvin Mike passed away suddenly surrounded by family at Mercy Hospital Anderson in his home city of Cincinnati, Ohio on September 4th, 2023. An unexpected rapid sequence of events began the previous day and despite vigilant prayers and tremendous efforts of his family and medical personnel, he was unable to recover from the emergency surgery required to repair a tear in his aorta. He was 63. Mike is survived by his loving wife of 40 years, Jennifer, their three sons and partners Luke (Rachel), Paul (Brittany), and Mark (Roumi). He was an amazing Papa/PopPop to his five soon to be seven- young grandchildren Max, Marjorie, Khloe, Michaela, and Jack- and twins due in December. He also leaves behind loving parents Richard and Marian (nee Ammann) Tarvin and sisters, Karen (Mire) and Lisa. Mike was born in Cincinnati in 1960. He spent his childhood enjoying the great outdoors and learning to fish with his father and grandfather. His love of nature and the wild was evident throughout his life; he eventually became an Eagle Scout, backpacked around the country, and worked in Yellowstone National Park. Mike was introduced to Jenny and the two fell deeply in love. His love for her was glowingly apparent throughout their 40 years of marriage. The two were married in 1983. Over the next 5 years, they welcomed their three sons: Luke, Paul and Mark. They settled their new family at the property on White Oak Road which was complete with a barn for Jennys horses and woods and creek for Mike to explore with his kids. He loved to work on things at the farm and grow his own food. In the summer, his ideal weekend would be to come home, close the gate and not open it again until Monday morning to go back to work. He could spend the entire weekend working on his projects, gardening, and enjoying the simple things. Florida was another formative place in Mikes life beginning in his childhood at his grandparents house. He found a peaceful sanctuary property on the Myakka River where he and Jenny could escape and explore the wild true Florida environment intact with gators, snakes, whistling ducks, and of course feral pigs (for consumption). As his boys grew, Mike taught them the importance of self-sufficiency and instilled in them his respectful admiration of the outdoors. The undeniable pride Mike had in his sons was rivalled only by the pride he had in his growing brood of grandchildren. He bragged about them whenever he could. Mikes intuitive wisdom never stifled his inner child, which made regular appearances and was especially apparent when he was with his grandchildren. Mike followed his family lineage of the three previous generations and began working at the Tarvin Plumbing Company. Beginning at age 19, he studied to become a journeyman and then a Master Plumber. He began running the company with his father and mostly retired Grandpa in 1992. The company is currently in its 117th year and still thriving. His sons will continue the legacy into the future as the fifth generation. He was a valued member of the community serving multiple terms as President of the Master Plumbers Association of Cincinnati in 2014 and 2018. To know Mike Tarvin was to know a true spark of joy in human form. His lighthearted and spontaneous personality was paired with a gentle intelligence and his heart overflowed with love for his family and friends. He spoke with respect and humor that made everyone around him feel heard and accepted. He never turned down an adventure, although he might fall asleep in a chair in the middle of it. He never turned away a wayward soul, whether human or animal, and always forgave mistakes whether big or small.

An open house Memorial Gathering will be held on Sunday, September 10th from 1-5 pm at Woodland Mound Park, 8250 Old Kellogg Road, Cincinnati, OH 45255. The family has reserved the Elderberry & Fox Ridge Shelters for the occasion. All are welcome. Lunch fare will be provided. Your prayers and support for the family are appreciated as they grieve.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to maintain Mikes final resting place at Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary or simply honor him by taking a walk in the woods with your loved ones, preferably barefoot.

Donations: Heritage Acres Memorial Sanctuary, 2710 Newtown Road, Cincinnati, OH 45244