Gloria  Marshall

Gloria Marshall 1923-2015

Born April 24, 1923 in Babylon, Long Island, New York.
Parents Kurt (1890 – 1973) and Elisa (1898 -1928) Hermann, brother Kurt Hermann Jr. (1916-1945).
Her brother was shot down over Japan one week before the war ended. Gloria got the news while working in a defense plant.

Gloria loved the water and met George Preston Marshall Jr. at the marina while working on the engine of her “run about.” Son of the owner of the Washington Redskins, he later became her husband.
A huge football fan, she loved taking in Redskins games with her father-in-law.

To escape the Long Island cold, Gloria sailed with George to Florida in a sailboat they built together in the rose garden of her mother-in-law Elizabeth Marshall in the early 1950s. They built a mixed-use property in Fort Lauderdale with a home on one side and apartments on the other so she could be a stay-at-home mom while still earning income. They built the apartment house one brick at a time, building the first three units on their own then hiring a contractor to build the last five.

Gloria was the first woman in Fort Lauderdale to buy a Hobie Cat and hosted race meetings at her home.
She wrote a letter to the editor so profound, we like to think she persuaded the 17th Street Committee to replace the bridge with a larger bridge instead of a tunnel. Every time you travel over that bridge you can thank our mom.

She is survived by daughters, Gwen Marshall of Fort Lauderdale, and Gale Marshall Macke of Atlanta, GA, son-in-law Daniel W. Macke, grandchildren Holly Macke, San Francisco, CA and Lee Macke, Golden, CO, and her best friend and cat, Mr. Boots.

Well wishes can be made in the form of donations to the Broward County Animal Care & Adoption Center http://www.broward.org/Animal/Donate/Pages/MakeaOne-TimeDonation.aspx


Serenity Funeral Home and Cremation has been entrusted with the funeral arrangements.