Jim & Jane Marshall

Jim and Jane Marshall spent most of their lives in the small town of Shoals, Indiana. They met in school and later married, beginning their life together in this cozy community. As part of their estate planning, the Marshalls decided to give back to the community where they had lived, worked, and prospered. The Marshall Community Fund, funded by their bequest, was set up through the Martin County Community Foundation.  This unrestricted endowment provides for community grant making to enrich the lives of all the citizens of Martin County.  Jim and Jane shared wide-ranging philanthropic interests. By using the Community Foundation, they felt assured that causes they held dear, plus new and unknown needs, would be nurtured for generations to come. The Martin County Community Foundation recognized the Marshall’s love for Martin County in 2016 when Jim and Jane were selected as the Philanthropists of the Year.

Following college graduation in 1964, Jim served in the United States Army at Fort Benning, Georgia.  There he used his engineering talents to design such projects as helicopter landing pads and bridges.  Jim and Jane returned to Shoals in 1966, and in 1999 Jim began working at Midwestern Engineers using his Civil Engineering degree throughout Martin and surrounding counties and states to design all types of projects.  The couple had several business interests as well.  Marshall Motors was founded in 1939 by Jim’s father and was an Evinrude dealership for several decades. Jim and Jane purchased the dealership in 1966 but eventually had to give it up.  They also owned a canoe and kayak business and Marshall Rental and Storage.

Jim and Jane each pursued their community interests by participating in several local organizations down through the years.  Jim was a charter member of the Shoals Business Association. He was chairman of the “Big Catfish Contest”, held in conjunction with the Shoals Catfish Festival, before he turned that duty over to the Shoals Fire Department. Jane was a member of the Psi Iota Xi sorority for 26 years having served in every officer position except treasurer. She was also a lifetime member of the Martin County Historical Society.

For hobbies, Jim had a love of all things fishing, while Jane was interested in genealogy and had a history of painting landscapes in acrylics. The couple used to own a cabin on the scenic White River and spent many of their weekends there.  Jim and Jane’s love of history and genealogy also led them to become co-founders of the Martin County Historical Society Fund in 2009.

The Marshall Community Fund is a fitting and lasting legacy for this couple whose entrepreneurship, volunteer service, and community spirit have benefited Martin County for many years.  The Martin County Community Foundation is honored to have been chosen by Jim and Jane to carry out this legacy.  In accordance with the donors’ wishes, the MCCF will administer the Marshall Community Fund to support local projects and organizations that enrich lives in Martin County.  The Marshalls hoped that their example will be followed by many others who share their vision of making this a better place for all who call Martin County home.