Dr. Robert (Bob) Lawrence Marsh was born on March 22, 1948 in Beaumont, Texas to Mabel and Lawrence Marsh. He passed away peacefully from natural causes on August 23, 2022, in his home in Boise, Idaho. Bob was an amazing father, grandfather, and friend. Spending time with his family was the number one focus in his life. His love and kindness for his family was passed down to him from his mother, Mabel. His children will always remember him as the dad that showed up. He never missed a recital or school performance. He was a volunteer for every field trip, embarrassing his kids by playing Raffi or The Sound of Music. While living on the Mesa, he befriended many of the neighborhood families. Those friendships lasted the remainder of his life. He was known for throwing large neighborhood parties to bring the community together over boxed wine and Jimmy Buffett.
Bob attended Lamar University for his undergraduate degree. He went on to earn his M.A. and Ph.D in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University, graduating in 1975. Bob was a professor and department chair at Lewis and Clark State College, University of Colorado at Denver, and Boise State University. He retired from Boise State in 2017. He was endlessly passionate about teaching and mentorship as well as leadership throughout his career. He ran the internship program at Boise State for many years, helping countless students start their career in criminal justice. Much of his work and research was focused on reducing recidivism rates in prisoners and improving public safety through his work with the Idaho Legislature to reduce child abuse in the state. In the summers, Bob was a river guide, running trips down Hells Canyon and the Middle Fork of the Salmon rivers.
Whether it was visiting Cheeseburger in Paradise, dancing to Margartiaville in the living room, or taking his kids diving or fishing in wild places, he taught his children and grandchildren to have fun and value the outdoors and adventure. He spent many weekends in Lowman, fishing off ‘Katie’s rock’ or at Miracle Hot Springs. When summer hit, the family spent time in Mexico, Central America, and Canada. While Austin and Katie were younger, he spent time driving his camper down to Baja, Mexico. He once came upon a checkpoint in the middle of the desert with a heavy military presence. During the stop, he pulled out a bag of Juicefuls and passed them out to all the men with automatic rifles. Their faces lit up and they were immediately at ease. Bob had that effect on anyone with whom he came into contact. His love of life, family, friends, and adventure will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his three children, Joshua (Natalie) Marsh , Austin (Staci) Marsh , and Kaitlin (Daniel) Thimann and his four grandchildren Samantha (13), Emily (11), Jackson (3), and Otis (1). He was preceded in death by his mother and father, Mabel and L.P. Marsh of Beaumont, Texas. His previous spouses, Christy Anadama (Shaver) and Dana Marsh (Osborn) reside in Boise and remained friends with him until his passing.
Bob’s memorial will be held at Lost Grove Brewery (1026 S La Pointe St) in Boise, Idaho on October 9, from 10-1, RSVP to http://evite.me/GGYP8DGeRN. Friends, family, former-students, and colleagues are welcome. Donations to the Nature Conservancy in Bob’s name would be appreciated.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.forestlawnmpfh.com for the Marsh family.
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