John F. Marshall

With heavy hearts we announce that John Frederick Marshall, 85, of Bloomfield Hills, passed away peacefully at home on February 9, 2026. John was born in Washington, DC on May 16, 1940 to Elgin and Katherine (Schmidt) Marshall. He and his mother returned to Monroe, Michigan after his father was called to service in WW2. They moved into the Schmidt family homestead, built in 1864 by his great-grandfather Michael Schmidt, and lived with his grandfather Edward Schmidt. Elgin returned to Monroe in 1945 and the home stayed in the family until the late 1980s. John was soon joined by his siblings William Elgin and Katherine Christine.

John attended Trinity Lutheran School, the same school his mother and grandfather attended. He attended Monroe High School, lettering in football, basketball and track. In 1958, John received a Ford Foundation Scholarship to the University of Michigan, where he received a B.S. in Mathematics. While at U-M he was the South Quad/Gomberg House committee chairperson for the 1960 Michigras festival.

In 1962, John took a position as a Systems Engineer with IBM in Flint, Michigan. In April 1963, while working with the Wickes Corporation in Saginaw on their first computer system, he met Nancy Douglass, an administrative assistant. Within a few months of their first date, he asked her to marry him. They eventually married in December 1963, settling in Saginaw, and were soon joined by daughters Julie and Karen.

After a short stint at IBM in Chicago, John received an opportunity to join the IBM marketing branch office in Dearborn, and the family returned to Michigan in 1975, settling in Bloomfield Hills, conveniently located between Monroe and Saginaw, where Nancy's family resided. He lived in this house for 55 years. In 1992, John retired from IBM after 30 years and immediately took a position in the telecommunications department ar Ford Motor Company, retiring for good in 2007.

John was very active at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church. He served as an elder, liturgist and led several adult Bible classes. In his later years he enjoyed being an assistant chess club coach at Our Shepherd Lutheran School. In the 1990s, John became interested in Nancy's family history and gathered much information on both the Douglass and Marshall families. At this time he also became interested in local history, as his house is situated between historic homes. He was a founding member of the Bloomfield Historical Society in 2004 and served on the Board of Directors of Preservation Bloomfield in 2008. He spent many hours working on the Barton Farmhouse and the Craig Log Cabin, both located at Bowers Farm in Bloomfield Hills. John was the person to call if you wanted to learn anything about the history of the area. His passion was historic homes, creating many files of property information, much of which is now archived for public use at the Bloomfield Township Public Library.

John was instrumental in his daughters' love of sports, engaging in various active games in their early years. John and Nancy enjoyed many years of cheering on their daughters and grandchildren in their various sports. They also enjoyed traveling with family and friends. He was an avid chess player and reader, three-time marathon runner and cyclist. John was a true life-long learner, remaining curious throughout his life. He led by example, and lived a life of generosity and integrity.

He is survived by daughters Julie (Ed) Garcia, Karen (Brian) Wischmeyer, both of Bloomfield Hills, grandchildren Ethan, Tess and Hope Garcia, John (Jack), Mark and Luke Wischmeyer, and sister K. Christine Kurtz of Traverse City. He is predeceased by his parents Elgin and Katherine, brother William and wife Nancy.

A memorial service will take place at Our Shepherd Lutheran Church at a later date. Please check back for updates.

Memorial tributes can be made to Our Shepherd Lutheran Church or the Bloomfield Historical Society.