Obituary - James Mayberry Marshall
James Mayberry Marshall died on May 25, 2023, in Kinston, North Carolina. He was 89 years old.
The family appreciates and thanks so many of you for your kind prayers, thoughts, calls, texts and visits over the past several months and weeks, but particularly the past several days. Your love and support mean the world to us and without it, this already difficult time be even more difficult.
Jim was born in Trenton, New Jersey on September 9, 1933. He was the son of John Herman Marshall and Blanche Mayberry Marshall. He was raised his first thirteen years in Trenton and the remainder of his childhood in Catonsville, Maryland. After high school, he attended and graduated from Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in Westminster, Maryland with a degree in Business Administration. Upon his graduation in 1955, Jim fulfilled his ROTC obligations serving two years active duty in the United States Army. He was honorably discharged in 1957 as a First Lieutenant.
After his discharge from the Army, Jim moved to Charlotte, North Carolina where his parents had relocated. He got a job with Pure Oil Company and was transferred to Wilmington, North Carolina, Shortly thereafter, Jim, in the fall of 1958, by then a transplanted Yankee, working in Wilmington, called on the local Chrysler Dealership where he met an attractive bookkeeper named Jeanette Blake. The rest is, as they say, history. Jim and Jeanette began to date, and in a whirlwind courtship, were engaged in December, 1958 and married on March 21, 1959.
In 1960, Jim went to work with Carolina Power & Light Company (now Duke Energy) in Wilmington. As Jim’s career progressed, he was subsequently promoted and transferred to Jacksonville, Raleigh, Kinston, Henderson and finally back to Raleigh. He retired in 1996 after 36 years.
After his retirement, Jim and Jeanette returned to Kinston. Together, they enjoyed a wonderful retirement travelling all over the world with friends and family. They became fixtures at First Presbyterian Church and the Kinston Country Club and attended every grandchild’s event they possibly could.
Jim was predeceased by his wife, Jeanette, to whom he was married 61 years until Jeanette’s death on April 5, 2020. He is survived by his two sons, John Pierce Marshall (wife Kelley) and David Mayberry Marshall (wife Donna). He was a grandfather to Kathleen Harper Marshall Delidimos, Caitlyn Shea Marshall and Blake Robert Marshall.
Jim was a steady patriarch and leader to his family. He worked hard, provided for their needs and wants, and was wonderful and loving husband, father and grandfather. An only child, he adapted to, loved and was loved by Jeanette’s big family. When Jeanette was sick, and even when he himself was failing, he always attended to her and took care of her in whatever way she needed and he could. He always made time for his boys and offered sound advice to them when asked, and often when he was not. Jim was a good one to have around when the chips were down. He would chew your ass when you deserved it and put his arm around you when you needed it. You always knew where you stood with him.
No one gets to choose how you come into this world and no one gets to choose how you go out. Jim would not have wanted to experience what he went through the past several years. We are sad that he has died but we do not feel cheated. Instead, we feel fortunate to have had him for as long as we did. We could not have asked for better.
There will be a memorial service for Jim at 11:00 a.m., May 30, 2023, at First Presbyterian Church in Kinston, North Carolina. The family will receive visitors immediately following the service.
The family is thankful for and expresses their deep appreciation and gratitude for the loving care provided to Jim by Spring Arbor of Kinston for the past five years and Amedisys Hospice Care during Jim’s last weeks.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to First Presbyterian Church in Kinston, North Carolina or the charity of your choice.
Arrangements made by Edwards Funeral Home & Cremations. Online condolences may be expressed at www.edwardsfhc.com.
