Marvin Virgil “Van” VanLandingham, 78, passed away on February 26, 2026, at AdventHealth Fish Memorial Hospital in Orange City, Florida.

Born on June 15, 1947, in Gastonia, North Carolina, Marvin was a lifelong resident of DeLand, Florida. He graduated from DeLand High School in 1965 and proudly began serving in the Army National Guard in 1966. Throughout his life, Marvin was dedicated to both his work and his community. In the 1980s, he worked as a manager for West Volusia Fire Equipment. In later years, he found great fulfillment as a Volusia County School Bus Driver, faithfully serving local families for 18 years before retiring in 2024.

Marvin was a tremendous sports fan who could spend hours sharing his deep knowledge and passion for football, baseball, and NASCAR—especially the races he had attended and remembered so fondly. Football was his favorite sport, and he was a devoted fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Virgil and Pauline VanLandingham. He is survived by his loving sisters, Janice Chaplin (Robb) of Ponce Inlet, Florida, and Judy Copeland (Mitch) of DeLand, Florida; his nephew, Kenny Lane of DeLand, Florida; his nieces, Lizzie Ramirez (Jeff) and Rachel Chaplin of Los Angeles, California; and his aunt, Lessie Wooten of Gastonia, North Carolina.

Marvin was a thoughtful, caring man who was always generous in helping others. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

A viewing will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Lankford Funeral Home in DeLand, Florida. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 6, 2026 beginning at 11:00 a.m., at Lankford Funeral Home followed by a burial at Oakdale Cemetery in DeLand, Florida.