William Marsden

William T. Marsden, 83, died Friday, July 21, 2017 at the Village Park at Spaulding Assisted Living Facility in Norcross, GA. He leaves his wife of 55 years, Ann (Spencer) Marsden; sons, Christopher Marsden and partner, Alex Lowe; William M. Marsden and wife Christie Marsden; and grandson William J. Marsden. Born and raised in Grosse Pointe, MI, Mr. Marsden was the son of William E. Marsden and Lillian Marsden Rivard. He made Norcross his home for the past 21 years. After graduating from Grosse Pointe South High School in 1953, Mr. Marsden attended Michigan State University, graduating in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in Education. He then served in the Navy as a Seaman, First Class, until his discharge in 1960. Later that year he met Ann Spencer at a dance hosted by the Grosse Pointe War Memorial. They were married in St. Paul’s Church on the Lake in 1962. Mr. Marsden went on to earn a master’s degree in Education from Eastern Michigan University in 1969. After serving in the Navy, Mr. Marsden became a high school history teacher in 1961 before becoming a high school principal in 1966. In 1971, he left teaching after accepting a position as V.P. of sales for the Xerox Corporation based in Stamford, CT. In 1983, he became the Director of Sales for the Zig Ziglar Corporation in Dallas Texas. Mr. Marsden always said that working for Zig, the famed American author, salesman, and motivational speaker, was one of the most rewarding experiences of his career. In 1992, he became the publisher of Builder/Architect Magazine in Charlotte and Atlanta before retiring in 1997. Mr. Marsden was known by friends and family for both his fun-loving nature and his passion for health and fitness. An avid tennis player, he was a member of the Atlanta Lawn Tennis Association (ALTA) and the Racquet Club of the South in Norcross. He and wife Ann both attended Peachtree Corners Presbyterian Church. Mr. Marsden’s final arrangements will be attended to by H. M. Patterson & Son-Oglethorpe Hill. An informal celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, July 29th, between 2 and 4pm at Village Park at Spaulding, 5701 Spaulding Drive, Norcross, GA.