Bill Marshall, a longtime Pacific Palisades resident, orchid enthusiast and bridge expert, passed away on Christmas. He was 90. Marshall was born in New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. His mother, who was American, missed her family, so the Marshalls moved to the United States and settled in New York City. Bill attended an aeronautical high school and was fascinated with airplanes from an early age. When he was 18, he traveled to Cleveland for the Fourth of July air races, Bill met Marion Mackenzie through a friend. The young couple (she was only 16) began a long-distance romance that resulted in marriage in 1940. During World War II, Bill, being a native of Australia, headed up the Australian War Supplies Procurement Office, a paramilitary group responsible for the purchase of machine tools for shipment to Australia. After the war, the Marshalls bought a house on Long Island and raised two children. Bill joined three other men to start a machine tool company, manufacturing parts for radar development and production. In September 1965, the Marshalls migrated to Los Angeles, where Bill joined another microwave company producing parts for the missile application. He then went to work for N. E. C., a Japanese firm whose origins were Western Electric. He covered the 11 Western states, selling digital fiber-optic telecommunication systems to telephone companies. His job took him to Japan several times, which was an aspect of his work that he most enjoyed. After Bill retired in 1990, his hobbies and enthusiasms kept him busy. Orchids had become part of his life when the family moved to Pacific Palisades. They built a greenhouse and joined the Palisades Garden Club and the Malibu Orchid Society. Eventually Bill zeroed in on epidendrums, the sturdy, colorful plants that bloom year-round. A self-described ‘Epi’ nut, Bill soon began lecturing on growing epidendrums and helped removed the stigma of the ‘poor man’s orchid,’ so named for the plant’s easy care and reasonable cost. His collection grew to include some 60 different species, many of which he imported from Hawaii, Australia, Mexico and Central America. Bill indulged his other love, bridge, and taught beginning bridge at the Palisades Woman’s Club for many years. For 20 years, the Marshalls enjoyed traveling the world. Their most memorable trip was to Scotland, first aboard the QE-2 and then the Royal Scotsman train. On this excursion they visited many interesting places, including wild animal parks and bird sanctuaries, famous smoke houses, and Ballindalloch Castle, all the while enjoying their own private chef and bedroom while on board. Everyone has dreams to fulfill or places to see, Marion says. Bill had three goals: to return to Australia and visit relatives, to build a car, and to fly on the Concorde. He built an MG-TD, which he entered in a number of parades locally and all over Southern California. He accomplished all three of his dreams. Bill was predeceased by his son William, Jr., in 1975. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Marion; daughter Catherine Marshall of Culver City; and many nieces and nephews in New York and Ohio. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Bill’s name to the Palisades Garden Club, P.O. Box 261, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272 or the Malibu Orchid Society.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
