Nelson L. Marsh

Colonel Nelson Leroy Marsh, age 85, passed away on Friday, August 18, 2023, at his home in San Antonio, Texas. Son to the late Edward Donald Marsh and Joyce Estelle (Taif) Marsh in Fort Worth, Texas. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife and partner of 54 years, Anneliese (Anne) S. Marsh from Stuttgart, Germany.

Entering the US Army as Second Lieutenant from the Texas Christian University (TCU) ROTC program in November 1959, he retired as a Colonel (COL) after a highly distinguished 30-year career. A combat veteran of the Vietnam War, as Chief of the Personnel Service Division and Commander of the Division Rear Security Battalion, he was personally responsible for coordinating the airlift of hundreds of wounded soldiers during the battle at Hamburger Hill in 1969. Other major assignments included Adjutant General and Commander of Division Rear 3rd Infantry Division in Würzburg West Germany, Deputy Editor-In-Chief for SOLDIERS Magazine, Commander of 22nd Personnel and Administration Battalion in Frankfurt Germany, Chief of Command Information and later Executive, Chief of Public Affairs for the Office of the Secretary of the Army while serving at the Pentagon. He completed his final tours of duty in his home state of Texas as the Chief of Public Affairs for the US Army Health Services Command at Fort Sam Houston and as Commander of the Army & Airforce Hometown News Center at Kelly Air Force Base until his retirement in 1989.

A lifelong student of law and history, COL Marsh graduated from Fort Worth Technical (1955), earning his Bachelor of Arts degree from TCU in Journalism (1959) and a certificate in Law from LaSalle University (1972). COL Marsh is the author of numerous publications during his career for the US Army and Air Force and in 2017 published the book Small Business Operations (SBO): Planning for Pitfalls.

COL Marsh graduated from the US Army Infantry School Basic Officers Course, the Adjutant General Advanced Course, the US Army Command and Staff College, the Defense Language Institute, and the National War College (1980). His numerous awards and decorations include 5 Legion of Merit, 3 Meritorious Service Medals, 3 Bronze Stars, 3 Air Medals, 5 Army Commendation Medals, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Humanitarian Service Medal (Iran Evacuation 1979), Vietnam Service Medal, the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry w/Palm, Vietnam Staff Service Medal first class, the Presidential Unit Citation and Valorous Unit Citation (101st Airborne, Vietnam), the Expert Infantryman’s Badge, General Staff Identification Badge, Army Recruiter Badge, the 101st Airborn Combat Service Identification Badge, and the Order of Military Medical Merit.

Following his retirement from the US Army, he founded the NLM Tax Service Inc., earning titles of Certified Tax Return Preparer, Registered Tax Return Preparer, and Certified Individual Tax Preparer, providing service for more than 2,200 clients across 40 states, and was named to Who’s Who in the World publication in 2002 before retiring a final time in 2022. He shared a lifelong love of automobiles, baseball, and football with his father, who attended Texas A&M in 1905 and was a certified master auto mechanic, assisting clients with purchasing classic and antique vehicles and attending New York Yankee and Cubs Baseball games and rooting for his and America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys.

COL Marsh is honored by his family and friends as the rock to which others clung, an endless fountain of sound legal, financial, and life advice that has benefited and touched countless people and businesses during his lifetime. A trained trombone player, he shared his deep love of music from classical composers to the Beatles, from the great masters of Jazz to more contemporary musicians, counting several clients whose careers he helped reach new heights. COL Marsh leaves those who knew him with cherished memories of his generosity, humor, and stoic professionalism during times of crisis, never faltering to put others before himself.

COL Marsh is survived by his children, Michele M. Marsh, Sharon C. Marsh, and Glenn E. Marsh, his Daughter-In-Law Michelle L. Marsh, and his twin grandchildren Annaleigh and Ellyse.

Family and friends are invited to attend a Chapel service honoring him on September 8, 2023, at 9:00 AM at the Porter Loring Mortuary North, 2102 North Loop 1604 East, San Antonio, Texas 78232. A Commital Service with full military honors will be held at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery located at 1520 Harry Wurzbach Road, San Antonio Texas at 11:00 AM.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Cancer Society of America or the Paralyzed Veterans of America.