Obituary of Charles Hobart Marshall

Charles H. Marshall, 88, passed away peacefully on Monday Feb. 15, 2016. Charlie was born on the family farm, Hillside Farms in Boonton Twp. where his family has lived since the 1890’s. The Marshall’s have a long history in the Township. They started as a dairy farm and later as pasteurization came about, they began delivering ice and harvesting wood. On Saturday evenings friends and neighbors would get together for music and dancing. During this time, Charlie’s father Hobart decided to build a dance hall attached to their barn. It was named the “Dance Hall” and Hobart became the square dance caller. In the 1950’s the war broke out in Korea and Charlie joined the U.S. Army where he became a Sergeant and was a heavy equipment mechanic. As a farmer you had to fix anything and everything, which Charlie was good at. As the war ended he married his sweetheart Mary E. Bartholomay, a Montville girl. They built their home across the street from the farm where they have resided ever since. In 1968, Charlie was injured and wasn’t able to do the work around the farm. He opened a matchbook cover one day and read an advertisement. He enrolled in a correspondence course where he learned to be a locksmith, soon turning a stall in the barn into his own locksmith shop. This kept him busy until he was able to return to the hard labor on the farm. As the years went by, he and his boys continued farming; hay and Christmas trees annually. Still in operation today; the Marshall’s harvest hay, trees, delicious organic vegetables and beautiful flowers. In 1960 the Marshall family starting digging graves for the Rockaway Valley Cemetery and Charlie became the superintendent as well as the Cemetery Historian. Later, he and his sons starting digging in Marcella Cemetery in Rockaway Twp. and Denville Cemetery, Denville, where his son Tom still digs. Charlie served on the Boonton Twp. Planning Board for many years and was a member of the N.R.A. and National V.F.W. His colorful personality, his red hat, quick wit and strong work ethic drew people to him. He was infectious and was a source of such rich history and tradition in this community. His legacy lives on Hillside Farm and through his family and many dear friends. Charlie and Mary were blessed with three sons. Sadly their son Jim died in 2009 and John, this past December. Their youngest Tom and his wife Donna; along with Mary and their pup Edna still work the family farm. Friends, fans, and farmers may visit on Saturday, February 20, 2016 from 11:00 AM until 3:00 pm at the Norman Dean Home for Services 16 Righter Ave. Denville, NJ. Private burial will be in the family plot in the Rockaway Valley Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in his memory to Rockaway Valley Cemetery P.O. Box 193 Boonton, NJ 07005 by way of inmemoryof-memorial.org We encourage you to share your own memories of Charlie and the history of Boonton Township with his family and us here on our site.