Andrew Marshall

Andrew C. Marshall Formerly of Walnut Creek Andy, a noted aerospace engineer, passed away after a short illness January 2, 2010 surrounded by family at his residence in Oakland. He was born April 5, 1921 in Stockton, CA and grew up on the family farm east of Lodi. His passion for aviation began with building model airplanes and he earned his pilot's license at age 15, prior to the outbreak of World War II. He received a degree in Mechanical Engineering with a minor in Metallurgy in 1943 from the University of California, Berkeley, and was promptly commissioned into the Navy where he tested materials at the Naval Air Station in Seattle, WA. After the war he joined up with some college buddies, including Roger Steele and Roscoe Hughes, who had started a new company, Hexcel. Honeycomb materials showed up in commercial aircraft and even space ships. In fact, a Hexcel honeycomb composite material was the first American-made material to touch the surface of the moon. At Hexcel Andy became known as "Mr. Honeycomb", traveling the world espousing honeycomb's many virtues. Later Andy sold the aerospace manufacturing industry on the value and appropriatness of composite structures so important to the air and space systems of today. For example, Boeing's new 787 Dream Liner's extensive use of carbon fiber composite construction can be traced to the materials Andy helped introduce to the industry many years ago. While at Hexcel, Andy was a guiding light in SAMPE, the Society of Aeronautical Material and Processing Engineers. He spoke at seminars about honeycomb and sandwich structures. In 1985, Andy first published a practical and informative book, Composite Basics. His book, now in its eighth edition, was considered the bible to a generation of homebuilders and experimental aircraft enthusiasts. Andy's retirement years were consumed with his family, vacationing at their Tahoe cabin and traveling. Later, he made 25 annual trips to the Oshkosh experimental aircraft fly-in in Wisconsin. He also enjoyed numerous flights with his son Paul, the only one of his children to catch the flying bug, who shares his love of the Bonanza as the best all-around FAA-certified single engine piston plane for personal use. Predeceased by his wife of sixty years, Mary Beth in 2004, Andy is survived by his daughter Ann Filson (Dick); son Mark Marshall (Margaret); daughter Ellen Marshall (Bryant Blewett); daughter Molly Marshall; son Paul Marshall (Gale); eight grandchildren; one great-grandson and a special friend, George Ann Garms. Donations may be sent to the Experimental Aviation Association Young Eagles program, which has flown at no charge more that 1.5 million children in private aircraft to introduce them to the joy of flying a planes. Send donations in Andy's name to https://secure.eaa.org/givewingstoeaa/donateonline.asp. Specify Young Eagles program. Private services. Arrangements by Oakmont Mortuary (925) 935-3311