John Benjamin Folsom Marshall

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – John Benjamin “Benny” Folsom Marshall, age 64, passed away on Tuesday, July 21, 2026. He was born on December 6, 1961 in Sumter, SC, to the late John Marshall & Gertrude “Hon” Folsom Keith. He is survived by his siblings: Mildred “Mimi” Marshall McGowan and Eileene Marshall Evatt; his children: Kathryn Ann Coursey, Caroline Elizabeth Marshall, John Styles Marshall, III, John Benjamin Folsom Marshall, Jr., Ansley Graham Marshall, Winn Michelle Marshall, and Bailey Bird Marshall; his beloved family dog, Ella; and his grandchildren, Llewyn Coursey, Ophelia Coursey, and Rosey Coursey.

Benny graduated from The Citadel, Class of ‘83, then joined the military, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become a tank commander. He moved to Nashville, TN, where he married Michelle Graham in 1991. Together, they raised seven children.

An entrepreneur to his core, Benny became a stockbroker and financial advisor. In 2014, he started his own company, Cobbler Creations, which is now owned and operated by his son, Ben, and will continue to be a staple of Middle Tennessee.

Benny was a faithful man of God, husband, father, and friend. He found peace on the water; as long as there were boats and fishing poles left in the world, he was content. Throughout every trial, even in his final days, he tempered the pain with humor–a gift appreciated by all who knew him. He was kind, ambitious, original and charismatic. He took pride in his ability to create, whether it was his family, businesses, home-cooked meals or his spectacular garden nurtured in a subdivision. He passed in gratitude, knowing he loved and was loved at the end of a beautiful life.

There will be a memorial held in Nashville at Warner Park Nature Center, August 9, 2026 at 3pm. The funeral will be held in Sumter, SC, in October 2026. A Celebration of Life will be held at Holden Beach, NC, shortly after the funeral.