John R. Marshall

was born on May 7, 1945, in Tiptonville, Tennessee. He was a loving, strong and inspirational father to Cyndi and Fred. John met Jan and they became a couple in 1979. John passed away on December 20, 2012.

He worked for Freightliner as a welder, located on Toby Drive. He then worked at the Teamsters Local from 1976 to 1996 as a business agent/president.

Upon retirement, he concentrated on building airplanes and making friends. He was a loyal and dedicated friend and mentor to many people and aviators. He enjoyed a good meal and loved chocolate ice cream. He enjoyed camping with family and friends at EAA fly-ins, such as OshKosh and Sun ‘n Fun. He loved hosting a great corn roast every year, for many years at his home airport, and, then, later on at the Shelbyville Airport.

John completed several RVs as well as helped countless others with their builds. His knowledge and generosity were unsurpassed. He made himself available to help anyone who would ask. No matter what the question was, John took the time to explain in great detail, and did so with tremendous enthusiasm. John also put together parts that turned standard RV-8s into Super 8s.

John’s list of accomplishments are quite lengthy, including being a master welder, airplane builder, experimental homebuilder, metal fabrication expert, FAA certified power plants and airframe mechanic, accomplished pilot, including aerobatic pilot and instructor. He owned and maintained a private airport called Marshall Field (a/k/a Acton International). In his tenure, he completed 19 FAA approved airplanes.

John was also a motorcycle enthusiast, including being a successful motorcycle racer, sidecar racer, and hill climber. In the last 3 years he rode approximately 30,000 miles on his motorcycle traveling cross country with fellow motorcycle enthusiasts.

HIGH FLIGHT

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds – and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of – wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there

I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,

I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew –

And, while the silent lifting mind I’ve trod

The high untresspassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee

No 412 Squadron, RCAF

Killed 11 December 1941