- Date Of Birth: November 21, 1925
- Date Of Death: May 15, 2016
- State: Idaho
RALPH OSCAR MARSHALL
1925 – 2016
Ralph was born November 21, 1925 in Ottawa, Illinois to Oscar Reed Marshall and Amanda Boltz Marshall. He was reared on the family farm near Earlville, IL. He graduated from Earlville High School in 1943. He attended Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL from 1943 to 1944. World War II interrupted his studies and he served in the U.S. Navy in the Pacific from 1944 to 1946 as a Storekeeper Technician 3rd class. In 1946 he resumed work at Monmouth College where he graduated in 1948.
He married Josephine Kilpatrick on June 21, 1947. After his graduation they moved to Chicago where he enrolled in McCormick Theological Seminary and wife Jo worked as a chemist in an insecticide factory. Their first son, Todd was born in 1950. Ralph graduated from McCormick with a Bachelor of Divinity degree in 1951.
Ralph came to the College of Idaho in Caldwell in 1958 as Chaplain and Religion professor. Jo worked as a lab assistant in the C of I Chemistry Department. Shortly after the move son Bradley was born.
In 1964 Ralph received a Danforth grant for graduate study at the University of Iowa. The family moved to Iowa City for two years. Jo worked as a medical technologist at University Hospital while Ralph completed a MA in Sociology.
In 1966 they returned to Caldwell and the C of I. Ralph taught sociology while Jo taught math and chemistry at Wilder High School. Ralph also served as chairman of the Caldwell School Board for several years.
In 1970 – 71 Ralph, Jo and Bradley moved to Pullman, WA where Ralph began work on a PhD in criminology.
Once again the family returned to the C of I where Ralph taught sociology while continuing research which led to the completion of his doctoral dissertation and his PhD in criminology in 1976. Jo taught chemistry at Caldwell High School. Ralph also volunteered as a member of the Idaho Commission for Pardons and Parole (aka the Parole Board) from 1971 to 1978. He served as the Administrative Secretary for the Parole Board from 1976 to 1978.
In 1978 Ralph and Jo left the North to move to Huntsville, TX where he joined the faculty of the College of Criminal Justice at Sam Houston State University. Jo taught chemistry at nearby Conroe High School. Both of them adapted to the southern culture and the humid weather. He worked tirelessly at professional research, publishing many papers. He mentored countless graduate students from around the world. Ralph also indulged in his passion for music, joining the community music theater. He held lead roles in several Gilbert and Sullivan productions, including “The Gondoliers” and “The Mikado.”
By 1992 both Ralph and Jo accepted the call of retirement and returned to God’s Country, moving back to Caldwell to be closer to their sons’ families. Ralph served as interim pastor at Kirkpatrick Presbyterian in Parma for two years. He also served two terms as Stated Clerk of Boise Presbytery. Unable to resist involvement in the criminal justice system, Ralph served as a half-time officer for the Idaho Department of Probation and Parole, District 3 from 1994 to 1995. He also became active in Caldwell Kiwanis as club secretary and was a delegate to the district convention in Provo, Utah and international conventions in Miami and in Tiawan. In Taiwan he was able to renew treasured acquaintances with several former graduate students.
Ralph was a regular at productions of Caldwell Fine Arts. He also enjoyed attending musical events in which his sons and grandchildren were involved.
The sudden onset of dementia confined him to the Willow Park memory care facility in Boise.
Ralph was preceded in death by his wife, Jo, his daughter, Rebecca, his parents, his brother and four sisters. He is survived by sons, Todd (Candis), Randall (Cheryl), and Bradley (Lily). Grandchildren are Clarissa (Bryan) Cowman, Kimberly Marshall (Chris Bingham), Jennifer (Brian) Hunt, Oscar Marshall, Carl Marshall and Jessica Marshall. Great-grandchildren are Jesse and Spencer Marshall-Bingham, Renner and Asher Hunt.
