Those of us who attended Burton Hill and Stripling with Marshall as well as Heights knew him as a kind, thoughtful, considerate, intelligent, unassuming, mild-mannered Clark Kent. None of us knew the daredevil Evil Knievel that lurked inside him. With his equally courageous wife Karla always at his side, Marshall skied slalom downhill at 60 mph and climbed vertical rock walls uphill at I0 ftph.
Sometimes Marshall did both the same day. “One August day after a major snow year, we skied Abasin in the morning and walked across the street and rock climbed at Basin rock in the afternoon.” Marshall downplayed the danger of rock climbing. ”We only had one near fatal accident while climbing.”
Downhill skiing and rock climbing failed to generate enough adrenaline for Marshall. His other passion was drag racing. Karla is a licensed drag racer. When Marshall learned he had cancer, he bought a 717 horsepower Dodge Hellcat roadster. Lowering his sunglasses, at sixty-six Marshall stared down any young punk who revved his engine next to him at a stop light.
Marshall’s bravery would make any girl’s heart thump. However, Marshall was the humblest of souls and a sentimentalist. He recalled, “I sat behind Donna in History, but I didn’t know her. The girl in Biology was Ginny Sanders. Unfortunately, I can guarantee you that neither she nor Allison remember me.” They were, "out of my league." Ladies, if you had only known Marshall was such a Fonz, you would have gotten in line to ask him to the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior girl’s dance.
At twenty-nine, Marshall was president of his successful architectural draft design company offering what is known as steel detailing. His company provided preconstruction drawings for each piece of steel used in gargantuan structures. His work helped build Texas Stadium, Memphis Grizzly Stadium, and The World Trade Center. His designs were essential to constructing the Space Shuttle deflector blast shield on the launch pad of Kennedy Space Center as well as the Shuttle maintenance platform, the largest moving structure ever made.
Later in life, Marshall and Karla settled down to find safer recreation. In October of 2020, Marshall prayed, “Right now, I just wish I could go fishing.”
Marshall’s projects will serve as monuments to his work long after we are gone. But in the interim, please contact a Heights classmate. You will be amazed with their accomplishments since the last time you saw them. Just ask. Bill C
Bill Clemons
Those of us who attended Burton Hill and Stripling with Marshall as well as Heights knew him as a kind, thoughtful, considerate, intelligent, unassuming, mild-mannered Clark Kent. None of us knew the daredevil Evil Knievel that lurked inside him. With his equally courageous wife Karla always at his side, Marshall skied slalom downhill at 60 mph and climbed vertical rock walls uphill at I0 ftph.
Sometimes Marshall did both the same day. “One August day after a major snow year, we skied Abasin in the morning and walked across the street and rock climbed at Basin rock in the afternoon.” Marshall downplayed the danger of rock climbing. ”We only had one near fatal accident while climbing.”
Downhill skiing and rock climbing failed to generate enough adrenaline for Marshall. His other passion was drag racing. Karla is a licensed drag racer. When Marshall learned he had cancer, he bought a 717 horsepower Dodge Hellcat roadster. Lowering his sunglasses, at sixty-six Marshall stared down any young punk who revved his engine next to him at a stop light.
Marshall’s bravery would make any girl’s heart thump. However, Marshall was the humblest of souls and a sentimentalist. He recalled, “I sat behind Donna in History, but I didn’t know her. The girl in Biology was Ginny Sanders. Unfortunately, I can guarantee you that neither she nor Allison remember me.” They were, "out of my league." Ladies, if you had only known Marshall was such a Fonz, you would have gotten in line to ask him to the Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, or Senior girl’s dance.
At twenty-nine, Marshall was president of his successful architectural draft design company offering what is known as steel detailing. His company provided preconstruction drawings for each piece of steel used in gargantuan structures. His work helped build Texas Stadium, Memphis Grizzly Stadium, and The World Trade Center. His designs were essential to constructing the Space Shuttle deflector blast shield on the launch pad of Kennedy Space Center as well as the Shuttle maintenance platform, the largest moving structure ever made.
Later in life, Marshall and Karla settled down to find safer recreation. In October of 2020, Marshall prayed, “Right now, I just wish I could go fishing.”
Marshall’s projects will serve as monuments to his work long after we are gone. But in the interim, please contact a Heights classmate. You will be amazed with their accomplishments since the last time you saw them. Just ask. Bill C
Kathy Graham (Kyles)
Great tribute to Marshall, Bill