Cherry Marshall

E. Cherry Marshall (April 7, 1945 - January 13, 2012) Rev. Dr. Edythe Cherry Marshall (nee Watson), known most affectionately to all of us as Cherry. After a joyous retirement service and celebration with the members of Hope Church, family and friends on January 8th, she was unexpectedly called home by the Lord on January 13th. She was the beloved wife of Rev. Dr. Ira Marshall, loving mother to sons Will and Peter (Lindy), cherished grandmother to Katelyn, Luke and Grace, and dearest sister of Peter Watson (Deborah) and the late Charles Watson (Rosemarie). Born in Philadelphia to the late Charles and Edythe (Cherry) Watson, Cherry attended Houston Elementary School and was graduated from Germantown Friends School in 1963. In 1967, she received her BA in religion at Transylvania College in Kentucky. At Princeton Theological Seminary, she majored in the New Testament and was graduated in 1970. She was ordained Sept. 20, 1970 at her childhood church, First Presbyterian Church in Germantown, PA. Cherry was a pioneer. She made headlines as the first woman minister in the Baltimore Presbytery and as one of the first 100 across the nation. Her career in the ministry began as Assistant Minister at the Hagerstown (MD) Presbyterian Church (1970-73). Cherry married Ira, the love of her life and also a Presbyterian minister, May 5, 1973. Ira's church, Hughes Memorial in Sparrows Point, thought they would be joined by a minister's wife. The Lord had other plans when Cherry started as the Interim Pastor at Hope Presbyterian Church on June 1, 1973. When called to be their Pastor in 1975, what started as a temporary assignment led to 38 years of a powerful, loving relationship in Christ between Cherry and the congregation of Hope Church. In 1982, Cherry received her Doctorate of Ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary of Chicago. Serving as the Moderator of the Baltimore Presbytery (88-89), she was the first clergy woman moderator in Baltimore. During her time at Hope, Cherry performed hundreds of weddings, baptisms and funerals. More importantly, during the triumphs and tragedies of our lives, she was always there to minister, not only to her congregants, but to anyone she knew to be in spiritual need. She was a living testament that one person can make a difference. A memorial service will be held at Hope Presbyterian Church on Saturday, January 21, 2012 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, your greatest gift would be to remember Cherry with a memorial donation to her beloved Hope Church (4748 Shelbourne Road, Baltimore, MD 21227).