Kurt Myron Marshek

Dr. Kurt Marshek, a pioneering figure in mechanical engineering, educator, and innovator, passed away leaving behind a remarkable legacy of scholarship, mentorship, and love for his family, friends and community.

Born and raised in Clintonville, Wisconsin, Dr. Marshek carried his Midwestern values of integrity, humility, and hard work throughout his life. With his maternal grandfather serving as the Lutheran minister in town throughout his upbringing, Kurt was raised in the Christian faith and was taught to respect, love and serve others. He attended Wartburg College and was a proud graduate of The University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he earned both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering. During college, Kurt was a left-handed pitcher on the University of Wisconsin baseball team, a role that reflected his lifelong love of sports and his natural athletic ability plus leadership skills. He went on to earn his Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University.

After teaching upper level university students at University of Connecticut and the University of Houston, Dr. Marshek joined the esteemed Department of Mechanical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin in 1981, where he served for decades as a dedicated professor, researcher and ultimately, professor emeritus. A specialist in mechanical design, he brought a deep passion and expertise to both the classroom as well as the laboratory, inspiring generations of students and young engineers.

Before his academic tenure, Dr. Marshek gained valuable industrial experience with companies including Falk, Eaton, Norton, and Western Electric. His ability to bridge practical engineering with academic insight led to over 150 technical publications and two influential books: Design of Machine and Structural Parts and Fundamentals of Machine Component Design, the latter co-authored and widely used in engineering education across the world.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Marshek combined rigorous research with hands-on innovation. He supervised the design and construction of numerous vehicles—including all-terrain, electric, race, hovercraft, and airships—and collaborated with NASA engineers and scientists at both Johnson Space Center and Ames Research Center, as well as Stanford University. His work ranged from developing airship cargo vehicles to pioneering sustainable technology for converting waste paper into glucose.

Dr. Marshek was widely recognized for his excellence and leadership in education, earning numerous accolades including the SAE Ralph R. Teetor Award, the ASEE Fred Merryfield Award, the UT Austin College of Engineering Faculty Leadership Award, and the Halliburton Education Foundation Award of Excellence.

A licensed professional engineer, Dr. Marshek also contributed significantly in the fields of product development, patent litigation, and accident reconstruction. He was a Fellow of both the National Academy of Forensic Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. His name appeared in numerous distinguished directories, including Who’s Who in Engineering, Who’s Who in Technology Today, and American Men and Women of Science. He consulted for decades specializing in accident reconstruction and performed in-depth analysis to provide insight and answers, thus preventing future incidents or liabilities in all areas of machine design and product/auto failure.

Even in the later stages of his career, Dr. Marshek remained active and inquisitive, working as recently as 2021 with a team of exceptional UT students on the development of a compact linear electron accelerator, a project aligned with DARPA interests. He even returned to teach an upper level engineering course at UT in 2022, and oversaw seven editions of his engineering machine design textbook, which was translated into several languages and used internationally.

Above all his professional accomplishments, Kurt will be greatly missed by Linda Carlson Marshek, his devoted wife of 54 years and their two daughters: Kelly Marshek Peck of Austin, TX; and Nicki (Chad) Bickley of San Antonio, TX. He was a proud and adoring grandfather to five grandchildren: Will, Allie, and Kate Bickley; and Bryker and Kayden Peck. He is survived by his sister, Kam (Jay) Blum; 101-year old mother-in-law, Lois Carlson; brothers-in-law, Les Carlson, Lynn Carlson, and Lee Schroeder; and nieces and nephews: Heidi Morgan, Nate Blum, Sarah Trullinger, Rachel Bastinelli, Faith Blum, Micah Blum, Rae Carlson, Taylor Carlson and Tanya Brames. He joins his loving parents, Faith and Myron Marshek, in heaven, along with his sister, Kay Schroeder; father-in-law, Leonard Carlson; and an incredible son-in-law, John Peck.

Kurt will always be remembered as an excellent husband, a dedicated father, a fun-loving grandfather, and a loyal friend. He approached life with thoughtfulness, kindness, and a deep sense of responsibility and gratitude to those he loved and everyone who crossed his path. His legacy lives on not only in the fields of engineering and education, but in the hearts of those who knew him.

Friends and family are welcome to join for a casual reception celebrating Kurt’s life on Saturday, November 29th, 2 p.m. at the Marshek residence. A private service will be held with immediate family in the future. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to Hospice Austin; they are grateful for their compassionate support.