Marvin Dale “Dee” Howard Jr was the first child of three born to Marvin Dale Howard Sr and the late Cynthia Elizabeth Jones-Howard on February 28, 1969, in Chicago, Illinois.

Dee was a precocious child and was introduced to music and movies by his parents. It wasn’t until Dee finding his father’s comedy records that he realized his calling of wanting to make the world laugh.

Marvin graduated from Our Lady Help Of Christian in 1983 in Chicago and graduated from Hillcrest High School in Country Club Hills in 1989.

Marvin then joined the United States Navy.  After returning home from the Navy was when he pursued his love of comedy.

Dee graced some of the best Chicago comedy stages such as Zanies, Riddles, Comedy Sportz, The Second City, The Red Room and many others. To know Marvin is to know his famous Michael Jackson impersonation.

Marvin also dibbled in acting as well. He worked with Liberty Temple Church and had a minor role in the well known program,The Awakening, as “Joker”.

In 2008, Marvin married his wife Judy and made a life together in St.Paul/Minneapolis, Minnesota with six step-children and six grandchildren.

While in Minnesota, Marvin joined The Zamya Theater Project, a theater company based in Minneapolis, MN, Marvin flourished as a stage actor. After joining Zamya in 2008, he starred in numerous Zamya stage productions including 'No Place Like Home', 'Home Street Home', and 'A Prairie Homeless Companion'. As a core troupe member of Zamya, whose mission is to raise awareness on the issue of homelessness, Marvin often took on one of the leading roles in many of the productions, most often being an audience favorite.  Particularly for his spot-on impersonations of Michael Jackson and other celebrities. No less valuable was his involvement in other Zamya activities such as workshops, listening sessions, and scriptwriting, and his mentorship for other troupe members. For over a decade, by combining charisma, comedic talent, and a natural ability to entertain, Marvin played a central role in Zamya’s success in raising awareness about homelessness in the minds of thousands throughout Minnesota.

In 2020, Marvin later moved to Houston,Texas and was attending MediaTech Institute in Houston while looking for a change of pace.

Marvin unexpectedly passed away February 7, 2024.

He leaves behind his wife Judy, his six step children and six grandchildren. His father, Marvin Dale Howard Sr, brother Brian(Erica) Howard, his sister Kirsten Howard. His five nieces and nephews: Jonathan(Raegene), Meagan(Cezanne), KateLynn, Ethan, and Brayden. And a great niece: Raiya.

Marvin leaves behind a host of aunts/uncles, cousins, friends, comedian colleagues and a dedicated, devoted, and beloved base of social media followers across multiple platforms.