William Ray Marshall

William “Mr. Bill” Ray Marshall, 83, of Houston County, TN, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Monday, February 24, at Spring Meadows Health & Rehabilitation Center. A lifelong adventurer and mischievous spirit, Bill lived a life filled with love, curiosity, and humor.

Bill served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, becoming one of the youngest to achieve the rank of chief at that time. His travels took him and his family across the globe, including Morocco, where they immersed themselves in the people and culture for nearly four years. A natural teacher, he went on to educate future generations of service members and electrical engineers at the Naval Station Great Lakes and later at the College of Lake County. He would often say “The best way to truly become an expert in something is to teach it to others”.

 Bill married his wife, Debby, on April Fool’s day 1973, and together they built a life full of frogs, dogs, and horses. From cross-country motorcycle trips on his Honda Goldwing to fishing endless miles of Yellow Creek, he was a consummate outdoorsman. He could often be found deep in the Tennessee woods hunting for ginseng, sassafras, and yellowroot. As his closest family could attest to, Bill embraced the call of the wild with open arms.

 As a voracious and theatrical reader, he brought The Hobbit and Rudyard Kipling to life for his children, crafting voices for each character. He had a love of fantasy, sci-fi, and history, and would immerse himself in the latest news in space exploration.

 Bill never let go of his child-like playfulness. Whether making elaborate paper airplanes, crafting kites from paper bags, or building birdhouses and tin butterflies, he found joy in creatively building or fixing things with his hands. He was a lover of Halloween, a master of dark humor, and a fierce competitor in Liar's Poker and Cribbage—though Scrabble remained the only game Debby could consistently beat him in.

 A fixture in the local darts scene, Bill played weekly at Rookies Sports Bar in Clarksville for decades. He also had a knack for finding hidden treasures at yard sales and pawn shops, playing “Quarter, Nickel, Dime” to see who could score the most interesting find at the best deal.

Whether stopping in the middle of the road to rescue a butterfly stuck to the car’s antenna or saving an imperiled turtle, cooking up his famous chili with exotic spices, or winning $100 in a raffle only to donate it back, Bill’s kindness shone through in everything he did.

 He is survived by his loving wife of over 50 years, Debby, as well as his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and countless friends who will forever remember his warmth, wit, wisdom.

Recently Bill said of death, “It’s a big universe—lots to see and do.” We know he’s out there somewhere, exploring the stars.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date. 

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you raise a glass of Wild Turkey, blast Paul Simon’s Graceland loudly, and play a game of Canasta in his honor.

Arrangements are in the care of Nave Funeral Home, (931) 289-4277, NaveFuneralHomes.com