Stephen Wesley Marshall's Obituary
Stephen Wesley Marshall
December 3, 1940 - July 18, 2023
Stephen Wesley Marshall, 82, of Richardson, Texas, went home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 18, 2023, after a short illness took his strength.
Wes was born in Moline, Illinois, to parents Joel and Velma (Fleming) Marshall, on December 3, 1940.
He spent his childhood in Rock Island, Illinois, with his five brothers and one sister. After graduating high school in Rock Island, he then attended Augustana College, where he started the college radio station WVIK and received his AB degree in physics and math. He married his high school sweetheart, Phyllis, and moved to New Mexico, where he received his MSEE from New Mexico State University, in Las Cruces, in addition to his newborn son, David. He and the family then moved to Plano, Texas, for Wes to begin work at Texas Instruments in 1965 in the military electronics business, contributing to the start of the HARM and Harpoon missile programs. He got another start soon after, when his daughter Laura came along.
Wes joined Electro Data in 1971, and was one of the two engineers that developed the Pulsar, the world’s first digital watch. He returned to TI in 1973 and his work on the Harpoon missile program, where he mastered the active radar seeking program, signal processing, range and Doppler tracking and electronic counter-measure algorithms. Wes then attended Southern Methodist University, completing all coursework for his PhD in EE. He was elected Senior Member of the Technical Staff at Texas Instruments and, in 1992, transferred to digital imaging within TI, where he developed the color wheel for DLP Products (high-definition imaging within television and cinematic screens) and contributed to the development of drivers for LED illumination systems.
He retired in 2005 from Texas Instruments as Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff, with dozens of U.S. patents. Post-career, he enjoyed many years of retirement with his family, especially the love of his life, Mary. He spent much time volunteering with the DAR and its involvement with the State Fair of Texas, as well as the Texas Reelers, the same square dance club that originally brought Wes and Mary together in 1983, along with Wes’ bonus son and daughter: Mary’s children, Mark and Judy.
Wes enjoyed life and had no enemies. Everyone got a hug. Nothing held him down. He overcame divorce, heart issues and cancer of the kidney and prostate. Over the years, he loved to travel, he looked forward to dressing up for his church’s annual Christmas program, he enjoyed being a Ham radio operator, was the treasurer for many years for his beloved square dancing club, loved his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, his dogs and tinkering in his garage, where he was always building something. If he or anyone else had a need for something and it didn’t yet exist, he invented and made it. But mostly, he loved his family--immediate and extended, and God.
Wes is survived by his wife of 37 years, Mary H. Marshall, son, David S. Marshall of Dallas, Texas, daughter, Laura R. Goodwin of Richardson, Texas, and son, R. Mark Hendricks (wife-Debbie) of Amarillo, Texas; 5 grandchildren; 4 great-grandchildren; brothers, Paul Marshall (wife-Julie) of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Charles “Chuck” (wife-Karen) Marshall of Tallmadge, Ohio, and James “Jim” (wife-Kathy) Marshall of Owasso, Oklahoma, and sister, Marilyn Marshall of Long Beach, Mississippi. He was preceded in death by his parents, as well as brothers Robert “Bob” Marshall and Kenneth “Ken” Marshall, and daughters Julie Marshall and Judy Greers.
A celebration of his life will be held at 2pm, Saturday, August 19, 2023, at Restland Memorial Chapel, 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75243.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Tzu Zoo Rescue, at https://tzuzoorescue.com/donation/, or directly to Tzu Zoo Rescue, Attn: Paula Cooper, 5904 Quails Path, Colleyville, Texas, 76034.
To join the service please click the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onLQt0F26KM
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