Randolph Marshall

Randolph Marshall, II, 83 of Kilmarnock, Virginia passed away peacefully on July 28, 2025. He was born on August 19, 1940, in Lynchburg, Virginia to Frances Averett and James Merrick Marshall. Ran attended St. Andrew's School in Middletown, Delaware, where he played football and was a Delaware State Champion wrestler in his weight class. He made some lifelong friends there and enjoyed many class reunions after moving back to Virginia. After high school, Ran decided to stay in Lynchburg and attended Lynchburg College, where he majored in Biology. It was while he was a student there that he met his wife, Virginia "Ginger" Browne. They were married in September of 1963.
Ran had worked for General Motors at the Chevrolet Detroit Forge one summer during college and decided that was what he wanted to do, so he and Ginger moved to Michigan. He started his career as a College Graduate in Training. In 1965 he was transferred to St. Louis, Missouri to work at the Chevrolet Shell Plant (a reopened Korean War facility making small arms) to make 105MM Howitzer shells. After the plant's closing, he went back to Detroit to the Detroit Forge. After 30 years with GM, he retired as Safety Director of the Saginaw Detroit Forge and the Detroit Gear & Axle Plants.
Ran and Ginger moved to the Northern Neck in 1996. While living on their building lot in a trailer while their home was being built, Ran started riding his bike to collect the morning paper. One of the neighbors suggested longer rides and convinced him to ride the Seagull Century in Salisbury, Maryland. Ran was hooked!! He rode the Seagull Century many times, along with many Bike Virginias and Bike Floridas. He did many other rides, including the local rides in Mathew County and the Northern Neck. Ran's most memorable ride was across the U.S. with four friends on the "Southern Tier." The ride began by the riders dipping their back tires in the Pacific Ocean in San Diego on October 7, 2010, and finished on November 20, 2010. Two friends joined up in Louisiana to complete the ride. It was truly a trip of a lifetime!
Ran was also active as a Ranger at Rice's Hotel-Hughlett's Tavern for many years, helping restore the building and grounds, and starting the Forge. He was active in the Dividing Creek Association, participating in the Water Sampling of Dividing Creek and the Trash Pick-up along Ditchley Road.
Ran was preceded in death by his parents and his brother William Averett Marshall. He leaves behind his wife Ginger; three sons, Matthew Marshall (Erica) of Circleville, OH, James Merrick Marshall II (Margaret) of Bainbridge Island, WA, and William Randolph Marshall of Richmond, VA; grandchildren: Meghan Wilson (Cody) of Amelia, OH, Rose Williams (Jake) of Lexington, KY, Isabella Dunn (Brenden) of Circleville, OH, Caleb Marshall Knapp of Richmond, VA, and Olivia Merrick Marshall of Bainbridge Island, WA; and two great-granddaughters, Claire Wilson and Ruby Williams. He also leaves behind his sister Martha Merrick Marshall Cassell of Charlottesville, VA; nieces and nephew, Sara Averett Marshall Domerchie (C.J.) of Ellicott City, MD, Eliza Marshall of Austin, TX, William Cassell (Camille), Frances Cassell, and Elizabeth Cassell, all of Charlottesville, VA.
A celebration of life has been planned for September 27, 2025, at Rice's Hotel-Hughlett's Tavern in the Tavern Meeting Building at 2:00 pm.