Kristin L. Marshall

Dr. Kristin Linda Marshall's marvelous life began Sept. 15, 1941 in New Amsterdam, NY and came to an end peacefully Sunday morning, July 26, 2009 in Clarion, PA. Born Kristin Krum to parents William J. and Florence Krum, she grew up with her sister Gretchen in Fort Plain, NY. After attending the public schools where her father was Superintendent, Kristin graduated, cum laude, with B.A, M.A., and PhD degrees in Speech Communication and Performing Arts from Syracuse University. She was a proud member of the Chi Omega sorority. In November of 1963 she married Edward C. Marshall, her lifelong love and her partner in many passions. Kristin next began her lengthy and rewarding career of teaching and collaboration with her husband on theatrical performances. Throughout her 45 years as a college professor, Kris used her gifts in speech, theatre and music to promote peace and harmony based on understanding among people in regard to racial, gender, and political issues. After her first jobs in New York, Kristin moved to Georgia with the aim of contributing to racial harmony through her work. It was a time of great racial tensions and conflicts in the South, and she had the opportunity to collaborate with her husband on directing plays to further racial understanding at Valdosta and Albany State Colleges such as A Raisin in the Sun. After ten years of teaching, directing and teaming with her husband in colleges from South Georgia to northern Mississippi, the racial unrest surrounding the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in Memphis led them to Tennessee to pursue their goals. Through her leadership at Lemoyne-Owen, a preeminent African American college there, she and Ed continued their work for racial healing through collaborations including a production of Medea as well as a local cable television series. After two decades of working towards equality between races in numerous southern colleges, Kris moved to San Luis Obispo, CA. Kristin was serving as Musical Director on Ed’s production of the Fantastiks at the time when they conceived a child. She then gave birth to their "fantastic" daughter, Krista, in 1981. At CalPoly University she went on to serve as musical director in several of her husband’s plays, Godspell and Twelfth Night all while caring for their newborn child, who was featured proudly in the latter show. Kris went next to Illinois, where she directed The Miracle Worker with her husband’s help in design and her daughter’s contribution as the baby Helen Keller. Her career continued to evolve and change over the next few decades, growing to focus more on gender equality and the history of the women’s movement. She continued to teach in the classroom and in the theatre at several colleges in Missouri, Texas, and Georgia. In 1990, Kristin came to teach speech at Clarion University where she finished her career as a tenured associate professor this year. This obituary must truncate much of Kris' other passions, such as her extensive work with children's theatre and oral interpretation productions about women's issues. While in Clarion, she was involved with the local League of Women Voters and Clarion County Democrats. She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Clarion where she enjoyed singing in the choir. Kristin is survived by her husband Edward C. Marshall, a retired professor of philosophy and theatre. Their daughter, Dr. Krista Lynn Cooke, is a family medicine physician at St. Margaret’s hospital in Pittsburgh. Her sister, Gretchen Brassard, lives and works in New York. Services will be held this Saturday, August 1, 2009 at the Robert V. Burns Funeral Home in Clarion. Visitation hours with the family will be from noon until 3:00 pm. A memorial service will be held at 3:00 pm at the funeral home under the direction of Reverend Scott Hauser. A burial of her ashes will take place later in Fort Plain, New York. Her husband is interested in creating a Great Women Speakers memorial series in her honor at Clarion University. If anyone would like to help in this effort, please contact Ed Marshall at edromar2@netscape.net.

Kristin L. Marshall

September 15, 1941 - July 26, 2009