Joseph F. Marshall, 93, of New Bedford passed away on Saturday July 2, 2022. He was the husband of the late Jeanne A. (Collet) Marshall and the late Teresa (Smith) Marshall.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late John J. and Anne (Bradley) Marshall, he lived in New Bedford for most of his life. After his retirement, he lived in Pinellas Park, FL before returning to this area several years ago. He was a graduate of Holy Family High School, Class of 1946, and in 1950 was graduated in the first class to receive degrees from what is now the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.
Mr. Marshall had a long and distinguished 37-year career with United Merchants and Manufacturers, starting as a trainee in 1953, appointed as General Manager of Arkwright Finishing in 1974, and promoted to Vice President of Arkwright in 1983. Several other United Merchants plants in Fall River and Jewett City, CT were also under his jurisdiction. He had also been a Senior Vice President of Seneca Textile in New York at the company’s corporate offices on Broadway. Throughout the years, he was instrumental in hiring many UMass Dartmouth graduates for the company in various locations under the United Merchants Trainee Program and Scholarships.
An avid sportsman, Joe had served as Secretary of the New Bedford Hockey Association during the 1970s. He was a longtime member of the Northern Textile Association and the American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists. Active in his community, he served as a member of the Fall River Redevelopment Board, as a director of the United Way, and as a commissioner for the New Bedford Airport for six years.
During the Korean War, he served in the U.S. Army at various European installations.
He is survived by his children, Bernadette Charette and her husband Edward, and Joseph F. Marshall, Jr. and his wife Tricia; his stepdaughters, Diane Garcia, Jo-Ann Nelson and her wife Geri O’Donnell, Suzanne O’Malley and her husband Michael, and Michele Whipple and her husband Steven; 14 grandchildren, Joseph F. Marshall III and his wife Julie, Michaela Marshall, Hannah McCarthy and her husband Michael, Lisa Rodriguez and her partner Marvin Perry, William “Bobby” Garcia and his wife Danielle, Christine Schneider, Ashley Sharples and her husband John, Caitie Cardoza and her husband Jeff, Sarah Mortensen and her husband Erik, Joshua Whipple and his wife Courtney, Melissa Johnson and her husband Jeremiah, Justin VanCour and his wife Burcu, Molly Devonis and her husband Cory, and Michael O’Malley; 13 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his siblings, Betty Almeida, Eileen Marshall, and Lawrence Marshall.
A Funeral Mass for Joe and his late wife, Jeanne, who passed in April 2020 during the peak of the Covid-19 restrictions, will be celebrated on Friday July 8 at 10 AM at Holy Name of the Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 121 Mt. Pleasant St., New Bedford. A family burial will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery at a later date. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday July 7 from 4-7 PM at the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Veterans Transition House, 1297 Purchase St., New Bedford, MA 02740. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.