June 30, 2022 – September 22, 2022
Helen Marie Marshall, 92, of Apache Junction, passed away peacefully in her home on September 22, 2022.
Helen was born in Somerville, Massachusetts, in 1930 to Peter and Mary Schupe, joining big brother, Bill. A self-described spoiled brat, Helen had a wonderful childhood, pursuing what she wanted to do. In high school she played field hockey and basketball and joined the French Club and the Latin-American Club. She also enjoyed acting and became part of the drama club and the Milton High Senior Comedy Players, landing the lead role in her senior year. After years of piano lessons, Helen also became an exceptional pianist. Then she met and fell in love with Ernie Marshall, her girlfriend’s brother.
After graduation from Milton High School in 1948, Helen’s family, along with fiancé, Ernie, packed up and moved to Arizona due to her father’s health issues. Not knowing anything about Arizona, Helen often told the story of how she was scared to death going through the Salt River Canyon and then coming through Apache Junction where they stopped at a zoo.
Helen and Ernie got married and spent 10 years in Tempe, Az. In 1959 they were able to buy a house in the small town of Apache Junction. Having four children by that time kept Helen busy but not busy enough. She also worked as a waitress at the Superstition Inn, often waiting on actors from Apacheland, with stories about how nice or how not nice each one was.
In 1975 Ernie was stricken with cancer and passed away. Helen, being the independent woman she was, continued working at Siemens Electronics in the corporate sales division and was later transferred to its California and Utah facilities.
After retiring in 1995, Helen headed back to Arizona. Apache Junction and the Superstition Mountains were always her favorite places to be and see. So she became a volunteer with the AJ Chamber of Commerce in 2002. During her 18 years and over 5000 hours given, Helen worked with and met many wonderful people, most of them visiting AJ for the winter months.
Helen was also an avid bowler, joining leagues year round. She was very proud of the fact that she once bowled a 299.
Reading was Helen’s passion though and over the years had enough books to create her own library in her home. She recently donated over 2000 books to the Visiting Nurse Service.
Helen is preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and big brother, Bill. She is survived by her four children, Suzanne Strong (Randy), Ron Marshall (Marian), John Marshall (Lisa) and Mary Robinson (Tony), as well as 15 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held for Helen at Mountain View Funeral Home, 7900 E Main St., Mesa, at 3pm on Saturday, October 1st, 2022.
