William "Bill" Van Wie Marsh

William “Bill” Van Wie Marsh
William Marsh of West Newbury, Vermont, passed away on August 28, 2021 at the Grafton County Nursing Home in North Haverhill, New Hampshire.
Bill was born at Mt. Selinda, Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) at the American Board Mission there on June 16th, 1934, the son of Dorothy Van Wie Marsh and John Sawyer Marsh, who were missionary pastors.  He grew up on the Mt. Selinda and Chikore missions and graduated from Umtali High School, a residential high school in what is now Mutare, Zimbabwe.  In 1955 he returned from Africa with his parents on their retirement from the mission field and in 1961 came with them to West Newbury, Vermont, where he has lived ever since.
Bill was the sexton of the West Newbury Congregational UCC Church for 49 years.  He has been an active member of the church since coming there and was a dedicated singer in the church choir and served as a church deacon.   Bill also served for many years as the custodian at the West Newbury Playgroup nursery school, as well as doing farm work in Vermont and Maine.  Bill had a deep love of music and was a long time member of the North Country Chorus, singing with the group on a number of tours to Europe and Canada.  In 2008, Bill and his sister Louise, accompanied by the pastor of the West Newbury church, Rev. Cynthia Batten, had the remarkable experience of travelling back to Zimbabwe and visiting the missions where they had grown up.
Bill was a reliable and constant presence in the life of the village of West Newbury.  Whether he was ringing the church bell, mowing the lawns of the church, parsonage, West Newbury Hall and Newbury Historical Society schoolhouse, stoking the wood stove of the schoolhouse early each school morning, preparing the West Newbury Hall for events or the church for Sunday services, singing in the church choir, or performing in the annual community variety show, Bill’s faithful, reassuring, constantly helpful spirit enriched the life of this small Vermont community and he is fondly remembered by his fellow West Newburyites.
Bill was a man of deep Christian faith and happily shared his spiritual insights and Christian witness in bible study and service.  He took great joy in his garden, raising produce as well as growing flowers used for decorating the church for services.  Many in West Newbury particularly treasure memories of Bill’s stories of his childhood in Zimbabwe and his many experiences there, told in his unique Vermont/South African accent.
Bill is survived by his sister, Louise Marsh, who resides at the Grafton County Nursing Home, and his nieces Nora Marsh and Stephanie Mulholland and nephews John Marsh and Charles Marsh.  A memorial service celebrating his life and his service to the community will be held on Saturday, October 2nd at 2 PM at the West Newbury Congregational UCC Church with a reception to follow in the West Newbury Hall.
In lieu of flowers memorial contributions in Bill's memory may be made to:
West Newbury Congregational Church Capital Campaign
1664 Moore Hill Road
Newbury, Vermont
Hale Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with Bill's care.

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