WS Chronicle

UPDATE: The funeral service has been scheduled for Tuesday, Feb. 28, at 2 p.m. at Emmanuel Baptist Church with a viewing taking place from 1-2 p.m.

Activist and longtime County Commissioner Walter Marshall, 74, passed away on the morning of Wednesday, Feb. 22.

Marshall first made his mark on Forsyth County as an activist with the NAACP. When he became local NAACP president in the 1980s, he led several lawsuits, including two that resulted in district elections for county commissioners and school board, which let both boards have greater African-American representation. Marshall would go on to serve on both of them.

He became a county commissioner in 1997, replacing the late Mazie Woodruff, and served on the board until his death. He was known as being passionate for issues like equality, inclusion and the environment. He had planned to not run for reelection in 2018.

The Chronicle will have full coverage next issue.

For a retrospective on Marshall, click here.