PhD. Robert H. Marshall (Bob) passed away on September 23, 2022. He was born on June 26, 1925, to Edwin and Ethel Marshall in Decatur, central Illinois. They moved to a farm near Decatur, where he attended a rural elementary school. They moved to Cerro Gordo, Illinois, also near Decatur, where he attended high school. As a valedictorian, he was automatically awarded a scholarship to Illinois State University. World War II was underway, and 2 years later he attended the U.S. Naval Cadet School at Cornell University where he earned the rank of second lieutenant. His assignment was LST 1089, a bow-opening ship carrying 1,100 tons of ammunition for use in the Pacific. After the war and his retirement in 1089, he was transferred to LST 1142 as commander during his retirement. After retiring from the Navy, he returned to Illinois State University to complete a bachelor’s and master’s degree in physical sciences before heading to the University of Illinois for a Ph.D. in chemistry. He worked for four years as a research chemist with the Ethyl Corporation in Detroit and Baton Rouge. He then taught chemistry at Louisiana Tech for two years. From 1960 to 1989, he taught chemistry at Memphis State University. For 4 summers, he was a visiting professor at the University of Illinois, teaching advanced inorganic chemistry courses open to seniors and graduate students. After retiring, he taught organic chemistry at Christian Brothers University in Memphis for a year. His favorite recreational activities are square dancing, ballroom dancing and playing bridge. He is the summoner of Cotton Boll Square and Golden Square. He has lived in the Kirby Pines retirement community in Memphis since 2009. He never married and left no next of kin. In his will, he set aside $50,000 for the Memphis Union Mission to feed the homeless. The remainder of his estate will be used to provide scholarships to valedictors or other seniors at Cerro Gordo High School.
Published by Legacy Remembers in October. March 3, 2022.