Theodore D Marshall

Theodore D. Marshall, Jr. 7/6/1944- 11/1/2024

Theodore D. Marshall, Jr., 80 of Orange, Massachusetts passed away peacefully at home, on November 1st, 2024, an auspicious day on the planet. He was in the loving circle of his wife, family and friends.

Ted was born on July 6, 1944 to Theodore Marshall, Sr. and Marion (Whitmer) Marshall in Philadelphia, PA. He grew up in Maple Shade NJ and attended Moorestown High school, graduating at 16 years old in 1961. He was voted best athlete in his class and then earned the honor of NJ football All-State and All Group as an end. He won a full football scholarship to Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania as a starter, playing both ways as a freshman. He transferred to and graduated from Trenton State College with a BS in Physical and Health Education in 1967. 

Ted met and fell in love with Susan Haulenbeek, daughter of Joseph and Catharine (Barbour) Haulenbeek in 1966 in Maple Shade. They were married that year with a promise to his parents to finish college. 

After graduating with a degree in Physical Education, Ted took a job at Fleetwood Elementary School in Mt. Laurel, NJ moving into special education and the Special Olympics Program, kickstarting a 35 year career in education. In Mt. Laurel, NJ

In 1973 Ted and Susan moved to Orange, Massachusetts. With their lifelong friends, Tom and Ruth Pearson, they purchased a farm and split off land on which to build. Together, Ted and Susan designed and built a ⅝ sphere- dome dwelling in the spirit of Buckminster Fuller and then a timber frame home in which they began their family life with Jessica Susan and Casey William Marshall. He showed an innate aptitude for numbers, math and planning and the beautiful homes that they built proved his capacity. In the years that Ted lived in Orange, Ma he joined forces with Arthur Platt and formed Countryside Realty as a partner and realtor. While in Orange, alongside Paul McOwen, Ted also started Mt. Grace Transportation Corporation, a small fleet of buses equipped to transport people of all abilities through Franklin County. 

In 1981, Ted and Susan returned to NJ to be near their beloved families. Soon after that, the family expanded to include Theodore Joseph Marshall, the fourth light of his life. He became a high school Phys Ed and Health teacher for Gloucester County Institute of Technology (GCIT) with an inclusion model. Initially GCIT did not have an actual gymnasium or a pool and Ted’s creative teaching style flourished. He loved all of his students, purposefully highlighting each of their individual strengths and gifts. 

Ted became a coach of women’s basketball, alongside Don Bianco, in Maple Shade. He spent many years in this position studying the game and culminating in a championship team. Over the NJ years, he coached ( mostly women’s) basketball, soccer, softball, swimming, cross country and even cheerleading. He coached with enthusiasm and praise, leading by example with his aptitude in most any sport, love for “the game” and understanding of teamwork. As in his teaching, he found a way to have all players shine- finding an award for every person on those banquet nights.

Ted and Susan were not yet done building homes. In 2004, they designed and built one more home, back in Orange Ma, where he spent the rest of his life on Harmony Farm. He was an active member of the community where he served on the board of the Orange Revitalization Project, was involved in the Mt. Grace Land Conservation Trust , a member of Quabbin Harvest Food Co-op Grocery Store and volunteered annually at the Garlic and Arts festival. He rekindled many old and delighted in finding new friendships, hikes, drives and sporting events.

 Ted had a very special way of connecting to every person he came to meet. He was a sincere listener and that listening seemed to resonate deep in his person, connecting him with meaning to the people in his life. He was devoted, in a way, to allowing people to be themselves, while working from the edges to lift them up, in an unobtrusive manner. He was a lover of people, an eclectic and voracious reader, believer in and fighter for justice, lover of games, music, maps and adventures, humor, dance, water, action, and connection. He has fostered these loves in those who knew him.

Ted is survived by his wife of 58 years, Susan (Haulenbeek) Marshall, daughter Jessica Marshall and husband Nathan Swartz, son Casey Marshall and wife Beth (Robson) and son Theo Marshall and wife Jewels Simko. His sisters Deborah (Marshall) Hilbert and Kay (Marshall) Berryann, in-laws Joseph and Francine Haulenbeek, Barbara Haulenbeek, Karen Reed, Bernie Hilbert and George Berryann. His grandchildren: Otis, Ren and Finnian Waggenbeek, Emily and Theodore Marshall and Quincy and Virgil Marshall. His nieces and nephew: Morgan (Pinkstone) married to T.C. Cole and Rachel (Pinkstone) Redden married to Scott Redden and their son Emmett Redden.

We would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and support in the challenging  year of care for Ted at home.  I know he knew you were there for us and was so happy to see friends and family over his extensive home care.

 A celebration of life will be held on November 30th at 4:30 at the Event space in the Boiler Room Restaurant - 245 Tully Rd in Orange, Ma. Please join us if you are able.  Kindly RSVP bahaulenbeek@gmail.com

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made payable to GCIT . It will be used for the Ted Marshall Scholarship Fund at Gloucester County Institute of Technology, 1360 Tanyard Rd., Sewell, NJ 08096  Attn: Guidance Dept.