Former Globe owner loses battle with ALS

MARYSVILLE — A former co-owner of The Marysville Globe and The Arlington Times, Robert Wendell Marshall, 55, died Sept. 22 at his home in Holladay, Utah.

Marshall had been battling Lou Gehrig’s Disease, which left him paralyzed and on a respirator, according to his family and former business partner Kris Passey.

Marshall’s family released 2,000 balloons at the time of his death.

Along with Marshall, Passey was the owner and publisher of The Globe and The Times until the papers were sold to Sound Publishing in August 2007. Passey described his partner as possessing a unique combination of “motivation and grit.”

Passey said the two first met when Marshall interviewed with his eventual partner for an editor’s job at a business journal in Salt Lake City. The two wound up working for the same company, but ultimately decided to strike out on their own.

Eventually, Marshall owned eight community newspapers and business journals in Utah, Idaho and the Pacific Northwest.

A dedicated runner, Marshall began competing in marathons at age 50. Shortly after finishing the Chicago Marathon in October 2007, he received the news about his disease, but nevertheless finished the Boston Marathon that following April. The accomplishment earned him a feature on the CBS Evening News.

Marshall is survived by a large family, including Debi, his wife of 31 years, along with five children, a brother and two sisters. Services will be held Sept. 25 in Holladay.

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