Marshall Joseph LeTourneau

May 15, 1945-November 15, 2025

San Diego has lost a living legend. Marshall Joseph LeTourneau died suddenly while attending a Cathedral Catholic High School football game. There are no words to express our grief. We are deeply grateful to those who immediately attended to him that evening.

Marshall is survived by his wife of 56 years, Carolyn (née Turner), and his sisters Mary Jo and Jaqueline and his chosen brother Jerry Wisniew. His children Michelle (John), Christopher (Angela), and Melanie (Gregory ) as well as his 10 grandchildren: Ava, Joseph, Josephine, Daniel, Christopher, Madelyn, Katherine, Nicholas, Giovanni, and Caroline will forever cherish and honor Poppie's memory.

Marshall's deep San Diego roots started in the Kensington neighborhood. He spent his youth attending St. Didacus School and organizing friends in canyon exploration, card games, and access to backyard swimming pools before taking an official position at the Navy Base at the age of 14. His reliability and strength earned him responsibilities for managing inventory and facilities that were well above his years and pay grade.

His unwavering work ethic landed him various service positions across a growing San Diego. As a teen, he began to hone the catering skills he would employ with relish for the rest of his life. His years in the County Planning Department perfected his encyclopedic knowledge of our region's flora, fauna, and geography.

While in high school at USDHS, Marshall met the love of his life Carolyn. Marshall and Carolyn continued dating during his years at Humboldt State College, where he played football and competed in College Bowl tournaments while studying wildlife management. Beyond raising pigs, foraging, and hunting, Marshall would continue to impress Carolyn by returning to San Diego to celebrate Christmas with giant evergreens strapped to his VW Bug.

Upon graduation, Marshall joined San Diego wildlife conservation efforts, uniting with veteran guardians of California's natural world. His newly acquired technical skills merged with his instinctive mechanical ingenuity to quickly make Marshall a prized apprentice in numerous trades. In 1975, he and Carolyn took over Clairemont Plumbing Service, reviving the revered local institution. Over the years, Marshall's uniquely adaptive genius benefited countless neighbors who often called on him to discover a hidden solution or innovate one out of things he had tucked in the corners of his truck. He and his beloved customers shared a mutual loyalty that kept his prices below market and his kitchen stocked with baked goods.

Memories of Marshall's inextinguishable humor and profound generosity will live on with his extended family, the Cathedral Catholic High School community, St. Anne's parish, and the thousands of San Diegians Marshall served for more than 50 years.

A rosary service for Marshall will be held on Nov. 28 at 7 p.m. at East County Mortuary. Following a small family service at St. Anne Church, a celebration of life will be held at 5:30 p.m. on the 29th at CCHS. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the scholarship fund in his name at CCHS. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes to honor Marshall with a special tribute at Cathedral Catholic High School. Details about this memorial opportunity will be shared as soon as they are finalized. For more information, please contact Anne Pickard Majer at amajer@cathedralcatholic.org