William "Mike" Marshall

William Michael “Mike” Marshall, formerly of Afton and Grove, age 72, of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, passed into the arms of his Lord and Savior on Saturday, August 27, 2022 at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma after a tragic fall at his home. Mike was born on March 6th, 1950 in Fairland, Oklahoma to James J. and Marie (Adkins) Marshall. Mike grew up in Afton, Oklahoma and graduated from Afton High School with the Class of 1968. He then went on to attend college at NEO in Miami, OK. He was an avid sports fan and athlete, playing football, baseball and basketball in school and he continued playing basketball, fast pitch and slow pitch softball on local men’s teams well into his 30’s. He later umpired softball for many years, including umpiring for the Special Olympics. He also coached his children’s little league and sports teams, and was a great coach, mentor, and Dad to his children, all of whom he loved dearly. Mike was a reliable and dedicated worker his entire life, starting as a young grocery sacker and stocker for Cox’s grocery store in Afton and later Stoke’s Grocery in Miami. Mike moved to Grove, Oklahoma in 1973 where he worked in sales for OTASCO for many years. With OTASCO he moved to Siloam Springs, Arkansas, Ardmore, Oklahoma and eventually to Tulsa, Oklahoma. When OTASCO ended, he went to work for Ramsey Winch in Tulsa, OK where he was employed for 15 years before his retirement. He met Sherry Hixon and her family in 1984 and were friends for many years. Sherry had relocated to Oklahoma City, OK and they lost touch for a while until she moved back to Tulsa. In August of 1997 while Sherry was visiting her daughter in Tulsa, Sherry and Mike re-connected and discovered that they were soulmates. They were married in 2005. Mike enjoyed “tinkering” with electronics and more. He was a master at fixing the unfixable! Buying “junk” and making it sellable was a craft he was proud of and did very well. He knew all the pawn shops and all the workers by name and delighted in bargain hunting. He was a friend to all he met, and no one stayed a stranger for long. He remembered friends from years past and was always eager to seek them out and “catch up”. A man of many talents in his early active life; he could work cattle, build fence, ride a motorcycle, swim, roller skate and much, much more, yet gentle enough to hold a baby or cry at a sad song. He was respected and admired for his unyielding spirit and determination in all his undertakings throughout life. He was also an avid John Wayne fan, even naming his first born after him. He will be greatly missed by a multitude of friends, fellow sports enthusiasts, past team players and his huge loving family. Mike was a family man in every sense of the word. God and his family were the most important things in his life. He became a stepfather to Jackie Allen Cooper in 1970; father to Michael in 1971, Michelle in 1974 and Matthew in 1993. After he and Sherry were married, God placed it in their hearts to adopt Andrew, Chelsea, Cory, Martin and Ryan making them siblings to the rest. Sherry’s children, Tina, Stephanie and Angela became his as well. He loved them all unconditionally as his very own. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Marie Dickey, James Marshall; stepfather John Dickey; son, Jackie Allen Cooper and brother Sam Palmer. Left to cherish his memory, his wife, Sherry; children Michael (Amanda) Marshall of Afton, OK; Michelle (Al) Martin of Jay, OK; Michael & Michelle’s mother Cheryl Marshall of Grove, OK; Matt (Shannon) Marshall and Matt’s mother Lori Cross all of Tulsa, OK; Andrew Marshall, Tulsa, OK; Chelsea Marshall, Tulsa, OK; Cory Marshall, Tulsa, OK; Martin Marshall, Broken Arrow, OK; Ryan Marshall, Broken Arrow, OK; Tina Bennett, Claremore, OK; Stephanie (Billy) Tolbert, Gallatin, TN; Angela (Leo) Carpenter, Broken Arrow, OK; sister Mary (John Coffee) Brumback of Afton, OK; brother George (Debbie) Marshall of Miami, OK; 26 cherished grandchildren and 37 adored great grandchildren; numerous nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. There will be a visitation for family and friends beginning at 10:00 am on Saturday September 3, 2022, at Nichols-Stephens Funeral Chapel. A Celebration of Mike’s life will follow at 11:00 am with Rev. Charlie Miller officiating. Inurnment will be at Mt. Hope Cemetery in Afton, Oklahoma. Arrangements are entrusted to Nichols-Stephens Funeral & Cremation Services.

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William "Mike" Marshall

March 6, 1950 - August 27, 2022