Marshall McDuffie Sr.

John Marshall McDuffie Sr., formerly of Dublin, Georgia, passed away on February 28, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Marshall was born in Atlanta, Georgia on May 3, 1938 at Georgia Baptist Hospital to John Louis McDuffie and Eugenia Trainer McDuffie. He attended Atlanta City schools and graduated from Southwest High School in 1956. In both his junior and senior years, he was selected to the Atlanta City High School's All-Star Baseball Team. He graduated from high school as Valedictorian, Senior Class President and a four-sport letterman. During his senior year, he received the Atlanta Journal Cup for Scholastic Achievement.

While in high school, Marshall was recruited by several universities to play football, including Georgia Tech, where he was offered an athletic scholarship. Instead of playing football, he chose to focus on his academic career, enrolling at Georgia Tech and joining Army ROTC. He graduated from Georgia Tech with a Bachelor of Textile Engineering degree in 1960 and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army. After graduation, Marshall married Sallie Gene Truslow in Atlanta, Georgia. He and Sallie then moved to El Paso, Texas where he served two years active duty in the U.S. Army at Fort Bliss. He concluded his military service a number of years later in the U.S. Army Reserve with the rank of Captain.

Following his active military service, Marshall and Sallie moved to Dublin, Georgia where he started his career in the woolen textile industry with J.P. Stevens in its management training program. He continued to work in the woolen textile industry in a progression of managerial and executive roles that kept Marshall and Sallie on the move across the Southeast and into Maine over the course of 40 years. He finished his career in 2001 as Senior Vice-President of Carleton Woolen Mills in Winthrop, Maine.

Marshall and Sallie were always active in their church community, and in the early 1980s they were instrumental in establishing Dublin Community Church. Marshall was passionate about studying and teaching God's Word, sharing the gospel and discipling believers in their Christian walk. Revelation was his favorite book of the Bible to study and to teach, and he led many people to a saving faith in Jesus Christ. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He loved and encouraged his family, most importantly in their faith. He made it a habit to send many handwritten notes and letters of encouragement to his friends and family over the years.

Marshall loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting or fishing at every opportunity. He also was an avid reader of history and studied the battles and strategies of the Civil War, with a keen interest in the battles that took place in the Atlanta area. He loved golf and running and participated in many road races, including the Savannah Marathon.

Marshall was preceded in death by his parents, John Louis McDuffie and Eugenia McDuffie, and his siblings, Maureen Ward, Jack McDuffie and Robert McDuffie. He is survived by his devoted wife of 64 years, Sallie, son Marshall McDuffie Jr. (Teresa), daughter Rebecca Holliday (Hunter), grandchildren Daniel McDuffie, Hannah McDuffie, Hunter Holliday Jr. (Blythe), Caroline Bollman (Cole), great-grandchildren, Spencer Holliday and Nell Bollman, and many nieces, nephews and cousins throughout the Atlanta area.

Visitation will be from 12:30 - 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at H.M. Patterson & Son's Oglethorpe Hill Funeral Home in Atlanta, followed by a memorial service in their chapel at 1:00 pm with the Reverend Colby E. Kinser officiating. A reception for family and friends will immediately follow the memorial service. A private, family burial will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.

The family wishes to extend its sincere thanks to the wonderful caregivers at Heartis of Buckhead for their compassionate and loving care.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Samaritan's Purse and The Gideon's International.