Thomas Lyle Marshall passed away at the age of 91 at his home in Carmel, CA, surrounded by loved ones on September 2, 2023. Tom was the only child born to Martha Brown Marshall (Winn) and Owen Marshall in Galveston, Indiana, on June 11, 1932, during the Depression. His family moved out to live on the farm with his Grandparents, Tom and Laura Marshall. He enjoyed his life on the farm and worked hard milking cows, driving a team of horses (that he loved), then driving tractors.
Tom graduated from Young America High School in 1950 and was accepted to study business at Indiana University and graduated in 1955. The Armstrong Cork Co. hired him and, after a six-month training program in Pennsylvania, was given a large territory in the west based in Salt Lake City. After two years of constant travel selling building materials, Tom decided to try something new and moved to San Francisco, CA. He enrolled in Law School but soon realized arguing with people didn’t appeal to him, so he left. He then found a job as a claims adjuster for Aetna Insurance Co. He was also a member of the Presidio Golf Club, where he developed his love for golf.
While living in San Francisco with a roommate, he came home after a date one night to find his roommate's girlfriend had come over with her friend, Janice Kimball. It was love at first sight, and Tom and Jan were married six months later. His life changed when his first son, Geoffrey, was born. With a wife and child to care for, Tom decided he needed a better-paying job, so he found work as an estimator for a roofing company. After their second son, Scott, was born, Tom obtained his contractor license and started his own roofing business. They were then blessed with a daughter, Kimberly Anne. Tom’s business grew, and he opened a branch in San Diego, CA. Tom and Jan moved the family to Rancho Santa Fe, CA in 1969. After a short time in Rancho, tragedy struck when Kimberly drowned in their pool. Devastated, Tom and Jan carried on until moving back to Northern California in 1974. They bought a parcel of land and built a house in Hollister, CA.
In 1978, in San Jose, Tom started a roofing supply company named Marshall Supply. He grew the company to ten branches across the state. In 1981, he purchased a small siding company making shingle sidewall panels. Soon, he redesigned the panel to be more efficient, and Cedar Valley was born. Tom sold Marshall Supply in 1996 and worked full-time growing Cedar Valley.
With his sons running the day-to-day operations, Tom and Jan relocated to Sequim, WA, where they remodeled two houses in ten years, then moved back to California to retire at Del Mesa in Carmel. They remodeled three units in Del Mesa before settling down in Hacienda Carmel. In 2016, Tom lost the love of his life to a heart attack while playing bridge. The love and support he received from his community buoyed him up until his passing.
Tom was an avid golfer and enjoyed rounds with his friends as often as he could. Being from Indiana, he was a big basketball fan. He followed his Indiana Hoosiers and had season tickets to the Golden State Warriors for over 15 years. He loved getting together with his friends once a month to share wine and stories. Tom was a member of the Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula, SIR, and the Stillwater Club. Mostly, he enjoyed spending time with his many friends over dinners at Hacienda. Tom was loved by all who met him. He and Jan were great ambassadors of life and had many wonderful adventures together.
Tom had a life well lived.
Tom is survived by his sons Geoffrey and Scott, daughter-in-law Amara, and grandchildren Sarah, John, Lauren, and Daniel. He was predeceased by his parents, Owen and Martha, his stepfather, Zeke, his daughter Kimberly, and his wife, Janice.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, December 8, 2023, at 11:00 AM at the Community Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 4590 Carmel Valley Rd, Carmel, CA.
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