It is with great sadness that the family of James Marshall McCormick II, known as Marshall McCormick, announce his passing on December 2nd, 2020 at 57 years of age.
Marshall will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 31 years, Kathleen; children, Elaine and James; parents, Betty Ann and Jim; sister, Melissa; brother, Brian; as well as numerous relatives and friends.
Marshall was proceeded by his maternal grandparents, Mary Belle and C.E. Thompson, and his paternal grandparents, Laura and T.G. McCormick.
Marshall was born into an Air Force family at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas on July 12th, 1963. His early childhood is remembered best by his mother’s large family in Memphis who adored his visits when his father was off serving our country. The length of his blonde locks was always a heated topic amongst the family members, and they swear he made a run at becoming the new Gerber baby. The highlight of his later childhood was the summers spent with his grandparents, Talbot and Laura McCormick, running all over Forest, Mississippi and creating memories that would influence the rest of his life.
As Marshall grew up, the intellect and work ethic for which he was known the rest of his life emerged. He graduated from Marist High School in 1980 and went on to graduate from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1985. He began his career at Siemens Energy and Automation immediately following graduation and never left. Marshall spent 34 years working in different roles within the sales division, ending as a National Account Manager, and was always regarded with respect for his dedication, honest insights, and above all commitment to his family. Marshall married his beloved wife, Kathleen, in 1989 and together they had two children and started a family known for their adventures. Marshall’s adventurous spirit will be his legacy to his family and a source of their favorite memories of him. He taught his family how to ski on all terrains of water and snow, explore foreign countries for the best food and historic sites, and even navigate a boat out of a storm after incorrectly predicting the direction of unfavorable weather patterns at the beach.
He never turned down a chance to try anything alongside his children — even signing up to go skydiving with them when his son turned 18 — and would always go the extra mile to make the most of moments together. To those who knew him best, Marshall was surprisingly capable, being able to fix almost anything, and always willing to help. He was known as “The Answer Man” by colleagues and “Mr. Fix-It” by family. No matter how challenging, he always worked on his projects with a smile and had an ability to find joy in all of life’s little moments. His brightest smiles will be remembered from a family meal or a shared package of M&M’s candies.
A Celebration of Marshall’s life will be held at North Point Community Church on January 11th at 3:00 pm. The service will be capacity limited and located at 4350 North Point Parkway in Alpharetta, GA.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Marshall’s memory to the Foundation Fighting Blindness.
Marshall’s life would seem too short to many, but those who were touched by him know that the quality of existence far exceeds the time in which one lives.
