John Stevenson Marshall

John S. Marshall, 54, died Dec. 7 at home in Rowayton Woods, in South Norwalk.

John, who never married, was a brilliant mind who worked for many years for General Electric Capital in Stamford, both as a full-time systems analyst and as a consultant. He specialized in executive compensation, and devised software and sophisticated programs for the highest-ranking executives at General Electric. He was a computer guru who was constantly working with the latest technology; friends and family could always turn to him for computer help, often just over the phone.

John was born and raised in Darien and graduated from Deerfield Academy and Princeton University. At Princeton, he graduated with honors in a major he created for himself in a history of science discipline. He then obtained an MBA in finance from Columbia University Business School and went to work shortly afterward for GE.

John will be remembered by family and friends for his sardonic wit; he did some work as a standup comedian, and late in his life was frequently published on the New York Times website in a section devoted to topical one-liners. He was a whiz at word games and crossword puzzles, and had twice qualified for Jeopardy!, though was never selected to appear.

John served for a time on the board of the Rowayton Woods Association, where he lived for the past 15 years, and also oversaw its community garden. He was an ardent hiker and photographer and an excellent cook; in his younger years, he was an accomplished competitive swimmer and sailor.

He is survived by his father, Albert E. Marshall Jr., of Sarasota, Fla.; and twin brothers Albert E. 3rd of Lake Forest Park, Wash., and William Jeffrey of Scottsdale, AZ. He was predeceased by his mother, Barbara, and by another brother, James D.

John was taken from us early, he will be sorely missed. In his memory, and to support the parks he hiked so often, the family asks that donations be made to Friends of Connecticut State Parks Inc., 16 Meriden Road, Rockfall, CT, 06481.