Memorial Service set for former FSU AD
May 2, 2008
A memorial service to honor former Fayetteville State Athletics Director John D. Marshall has been set for Sunday, May 18 at the Seabrook Auditorium on the FSU campus. The service will begin at 2:00pm following a special ceremony by members of Marshall's fraternity, Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc.
Marshall had been ill for several months and died Tuesday morning (April 29), he was 78.
The native of Camden, SC had been living in Fayetteville since he
came to FSU as Director of Athletics in 1980. In addition to
managing Bronco Athletics, Marshall was a Health & Physical
Education Instructor, Intramural Sports Director, Compliance
Director and varsity tennis coach until he retired in 1995.
During his tenure, he reestablished the FSU Athletic Hall of Fame and was inducted in 1997. He is also a member of the Halls of Fame of Livingstone College (2004) and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (1995).
Marshall is credited with hiring the CIAA's first female women's basketball coach and helping to bring the NCAA Division II South Atlantic Regional basketball tournament to Fayetteville. He served as Chairman of the NCAA Division II Football Committee and worked with the Harlon Hill Trophy Committee to select the best player in Division II football.
He was named CIAA Athletic Director of the Year in 1982.
Marshall began his career as head football coach at Hillside High School in Heath Spring, SC.
His first college coaching jobs was at Elizabeth City State and Langston University. In 1966 he became head football coach at Livingstone College and also served as co-chair of the Health and Physical Education Department and head tennis coach. In 1970, he became Athletic director.
After leaving Livingstone, he served brief stints at Johnson C. Smith and Virginia State. He moved into athletic administration as an assistant AD at South Carolina State, his alma mater. He was Athletic Director at Virginia Union before taking a similar position at Fayetteville State.
Wherever he has worked, Marshall has always been focused on student-athlete success. He developed the first academic advisement program at Livingstone and personally participated in advising student-athletes at FSU.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the J.D. Marshall Scholarship Fund through Wachovia Bank in Fayetteville.