Douglas Bertrand Marshall Sr.

DOUGLAS BERTRAND MARSHALL, 89, of Sioux Narrows, Ontario, died at his home on Christmas Island on September 27, 2007. He was born on the 21st of October, 1917, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He was preceded in death by his father Bertrand Leander Marshall, his mother Iva Belle Matters, his wife Margaret Cullen Marshall, his sister Janice Biltcliffe, and his son Douglas B. Marshall, Jr. Doug Marshall is survived by his son Hugh Roy Marshall and daughter-in-law, Cynthia Marshall of Reno, NV; grandson, Hugh Roy Marshall, Jr. of Virginia City, NV; grandson, Benjamin Cullen Marshall, his wife, Michelle Marshall, and great granddaughter Sunny Marshall of Oceanside, CA; granddaughters, Margaret Ann Marshall and Sophie Celeste Marshall of Reno, NV; grandson, Douglas B. Marshall, III of Houston, TX and Cambridge, MA, his fiancée Amrita Ahuja of Cambridge, MA, and his mother, Alexandra Marshall of Millbrook, NY; brother-in-law, Tom Biltcliffe, of Houston, TX. Doug is also survived by many members of his extended family, viz., the family of Hugh Roy and Lillie Cullen, living in Texas and abroad. Doug spent his childhood years in Waukesha, Wisconsin and attended Waukesha High School. In 1936 he was president of his high school class. Doug attended college at the University of Minnesota where he studied business administration and aeronautical engineering. Before being graduated he heard the call of the bugle and joined the U.S. Army. He was first stationed as a member of the 11th Cavalry Regiment in California. He ultimately joined the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of Major. During the Second World War Doug flew the B-26 bomber in Northern Africa and also acted as a finance officer for his unit. During the War Doug fell in love with the woman who would become his wife, Margaret Cullen, though the two would not marry until shortly after the War was over. Their wedding took place in Houston, TX in May of 1945. In the following years the Marshalls kept a home in Houston, TX, and Doug worked closely with his father-and-law Hugh Roy Cullen in the oil and gas industry. Doug's career also included extensive work in banking and real estate. He was instrumental in the founding of Cullen Bank and also, many years later, of Legacy Trust Company. In the years after the War Doug developed a deep interest in livestock and horses. In the late 1940's he became involved with the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo (at that time called "The Houston Fat Stock Show"). By 1950 he was named a director, and through the years 1955 1957 he served as vice president. He was president from 1958 through 1960. In 1955 Doug together with his wife and two sons founded Gleannloch Farms and built a facility on 4,500 acres in Spring, TX. Though in the early years Gleannloch Farms bred Aberdeen Angus cattle in addition to horses, ultimately the breeding program included solely Arabian horses. Gleannloch Farms gained a reputation for breeding world class horses, especially pureblood Egyptian Arabians, and it produced such well known champions as Morafic, Surf, and Sakr. Through both the oil business and his work at Gleannloch Farms Doug made many personal connections in the Middle East. Royalty and heads of state from numerous Middle Eastern countries visited Gleannloch Farms. In this connection, Doug spent some time as the President of the American Arab Society. One of Doug's proudest accomplishments was working with U.S. President Lyndon Johnson on behalf of Lebanon during a time when the borders of Lebanon were disputed; Doug helped to ensure that the Litani river would stay within Lebanese borders. For his efforts Doug was named a Commander of the Cedars of the State of Lebanon. Doug had made a summer home for himself and Margaret on Christmas Island near Sioux Narrows, Ontario in the 1950's. One of Doug's favorite summer activities was to fly to northern lakes on fishing expeditions in his Cessna 206, a single propeller airplane on floats. Doug ultimately became a Canadian citizen, with Sioux Narrows becoming his primary home. However, he continued to spend winters in Texas at Gleannloch Farms, which since the mid 1970's has been based in the valley of the Nueces river near Barksdale, TX. Doug died peacefully in his cabin on Christmas Island in Ontario. A funeral was held for him on October 4th at St. Philip's Episcopal Church in Uvalde, TX with the Reverend Michael Marsh officiating.