Henry C. Marshall

MARSHALL HENRY CHANNING MARSHALL Proud veteran of the US Navy in World War II, Henry Channing Marshall, 86, died with grace January 4, 2012 at Gilchrist Hospice in Columbia, Maryland of congestive heart failure. Fond of saying "I'm just a farm boy from Dayton", he went on to work as an executive at General Motors before realizing his true independent, entrepreneurial nature as an auto dealer in Reading, Pennsylvania. Henry was born in South Chicago, Illinois on April 4, 1925, the son of William Seba Marshall and Helen Dorcas Magee. In 1936 the family moved to Dayton, Maryland where his parents purchased an historic farm property, originally known as Gaithers Chance. Henry refurbished the property and retired there in 1981. His patriotism surfaced early when he joined the Maryland Minutemen at age 15 to protect the area from anticipated enemy attack in World War II. When he was 17, he joined the US Navy and in 1943 was assigned to the Naval Aviation Cadet V-5A program, attending Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He then served in the South Pacific on the USS Independence Aircraft Carrier as an Aviation Radioman 3/c and was in Tokyo Bay when the peace treaty was signed. He felt strongly that his Navy service was a great privilege, crediting it with teaching him responsibility and enabling his later success in the automotive industry. He attended the University of Maryland on the GI bill of Rights, graduating in 1951 with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He was a lifelong member of Sigma Chi Fraternity. Henry always had a job, from elementary school on, and worked his way through college. He was a roustabout for Ringling Brothers Circus in St. Petersburg, Florida in 1948, "...following the elephants around with a pitchfork", worked out with the New York Yankees field team in Florida, and in Baltimore as a brakeman on the B&O Railroad. After graduating from college, he worked 13 years for the Chevrolet Division of General Motors as a District Manager, leaving in 1967 to purchase the Chevrolet dealership in Reading, Pennsylvania. He later added Honda and Volvo, making him the largest franchise in the area. Henry was an active, lifelong Republican running for the House of Delegates in Pennsylvania and County Council in Howard County, Maryland. His determination in voter registration activities enabled him to turn 22 precincts Republican, for which he received the Charles Miller Award as Republican of theYear in 1990. His civic activities included serving as vice chair of the Reading Airport Authority, Pennsylvania; board member of the Waverly historic house, Howard County; lifetime member of the Howard County Historical Society; member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution and Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was a member of various business organizations. Henry Channing Marshall was a personality writ large-a loyal friend, generous to a fault, good sense of humor and charming. He was intense about his beliefs, irascible at times, but was always there for you when needed. World and American history, and especially family history, were strong and continuing interests in his life. He is survived by his loving wife, Janet Monroe Schumann; his beloved children Christina Channing Simpson, Baltimore, Maryland and Mark Hayward Marshall, Jupiter Florida; his loving stepchildren Patricia Carr, Dublin Ireland, Paula G. Schumann, Washington, DC and Peter F. Schumann, Reading, Pennsylvania; his devoted step grandchildren James Carr and Sophia Carr of Dublin, Ireland. His marriage to Elizabeth Ann Marshall ended in divorce. Memorial services will be announced at a later date. If so inclined, donations to Sandy Spring Meeting, 17715 Meeting House Rd., Sandy Spring, MD 20860 or Gilchrist Hospice, 11311 McCormick Rd, Ste 350, Hunt Valley, MD 21033.