DR Ian Marshall, a humble man honoured by a Pope for his life of service, was giving to his community up to a few days before his death at the age of 84.
Delivering a eulogy at Dr Marshall’s recent funeral in Brisbane, his son Richard spoke of his father’s dedication and support to some of his many causes.
One of his lasting commitments was to the RSL sub-branch at The Gap, where he had lived for much of his life.
“He was seeking a piper for Anzac (Day) ceremonies only a few days before his death,” Richard told mourners at Dr Marshall’s funeral at St Paschal’s Church, Wavell Heights, on April 5.
Dr Marshall had died on March 23, and St Paschal’s is the “home” church in Brisbane of the Order of Malta, a lay religious order of the Church to which he had been dedicated to for many years.
At the funeral, Archbishop Mark Coleridge said: “While the Order of Malta has known many extraordinary members in its 900-year history, few in Australia were as extraordinary in service as former president Dr Ian Marshall”.
In 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named Dr Marshall a Knight Commander with Star in the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great.
The Order of Malta’s hospitaller for the North Eastern Region (Queensland) Danny Higgins said Dr Marshall “is remembered as the Order of Malta’s former national president, former national hospitaller and former Queensland chairman”.
“However, to our membership, he will be remembered as a dear friend and wonderful example of a Knight of Magistral Grace,” Mr Higgins said.
Photo: Alan Edgecomb
“Ian was adept at speaking with Grand Masters, diplomats or people struggling with the circumstances of their lives. He lived a life of faith with humility and humour.
“He championed many of the order’s hospitaller works, especially the medical clinic in Timor-Leste and the National Coats for the Homeless campaign.
“Internationally, Ian was instrumental in the growth and success of the Order of Malta in Hong Kong, Thailand and several other Asia Pacific nations.
“Ian was a gentleman in the truest sense of the word, with his generosity of means and spirit evident whenever you met with him.”
The Order of Malta’s national president Justice James Douglas was among many others to pay tribute to Dr Marshall.
“Ian Marshall was a very welcoming figure when I joined the order and a great help and confidant when I became president, ensuring continuity in our operations. I shall miss him greatly,” he said.
Dr Marshall’s son Richard delivered one of three eulogies given at the funeral, on behalf of his family.
Richard spoke on behalf of his mother Judith; his siblings Penelope and Andrew; and his wife Laura; Dr Marshall’s grandchildren Amelia, Dominic, Georgia and William; and Dr Marshall’s siblings Jocelyn, Malcolm, Lesley and William, and their families.
Born on September 24, 1938, in Brisbane, Dr Marshall was the son of William and Morna Marshall.
“William’s banking career took the family in their early years to Ayr, Roma and Nanango,” Richard said. “Eventually they had five children – three boys and two girls. Tragically, (Ian’s) mother died when he was only eight years old.”
Photo: Alan Edgecomb
With William being a single father to five children, the youngsters were eventually sent to boarding school, with Ian going to Nudgee Junior and Nudgee Senior.
Ian excelled in all areas, including sport, academically and in leadership.
His community-minded spirit was emerging from that time as well.
“Dad gave back to his school by assuming leadership with the Nudgee College Old Boys Association,” Richard said. “He was either president or committee member for 20 years.
“This pattern of nurturing the connective-tissue in our community (was to) be repeated over his life in many spheres.
“I once asked Dad what he may have done differently in life.
“He imagined owning a large cattle station in the Northern Territory and giving beef farming a ‘real go’.
“His father’s family came from the land, near Warwick, and this was forever a major part of Dad’s soul.
“So, initially Dad was interested in the land and planned to study at Gatton Agricultural college, to be a farmer or a (veterinarian). But, wisely, his father urged him to take up medicine.
“This was great advice, as Dad both enjoyed and excelled at a medical career for over 54 years.”
Dr Marshall gained an open scholarship to the University of Queensland to study Medicine. There he joined the RAAF University Squadron, “which became an enduring passion in his life”.
“He became an aviation medicine instructor to the squadron cadets, received an Air Efficiency Award, leading to a long career as an aviation medicine consultant, and instructor,” Richard Marshall said.
“He established a medical facility at RAAF Centre Brisbane, and was a regular visiting medical officer for personnel at RAAF Amberley.
“He worked with his colleagues at the Queensland University Squadron literally until two weeks ago, as they pushed to reinstate training of commissioned officers for the RAAF General Reserve from the student body at UQ.
“His respect for all the Armed Services ran deep.”
Richard said that, apart from his father’s general medical studies, “he was a surgical registrar at Royal Brisbane and Prince Charles hospitals”.
“He was First Assistant for the first ever Double Valve Transplant and Triple Valve Correction operations in Australia,” he said.
“… He followed family medicine from 1972 and was an early partner at the Walton Bridge Medical Centre at The Gap. The practice is open 365 days a year, (and) a medical partner is available 24 hours a day – which is extremely rare. They provide full palliative care.
“Walton Bridge is a teaching practice for the University of Queensland and many GPs in training spend their final term at Walton Bridge before embarking on their own careers.
“He was a GP in an era before ultra-specialisation and his surgical training was put to use: he delivered babies, took out tonsils and appendices, as the other partners were anaesthetists and assisted.
“He retired when he was 80, after 46 years as a family doctor in The Gap.
“In that time he was doctor to thousands of families in Western Brisbane.
“It is hard to compare to other professions the depth of connection he had with those in his care as he, for example, cared for the pregnant children of those he had delivered as babies.”
Outside of medicine, the scope of Dr Marshall’s interests was wide and varied.
“He had a lifelong love of horses and rode all his life,” Richard Marshall said.
“He sailed from Gladstone to Brisbane, in later years owned and skippered an old wooden Bay Cruiser to introduce his family to the joys of Moreton Bay; he held a pilot’s license and owned a plane, he bred cattle, was deeply into herd genetics, collected wine, read history widely and military history in particular … He loved all things Scottish, hogmanay, pipes and drums …”
He was a member of the Bernborough Club for many years “and enjoyed all things thoroughbred racing”.
“Dad had conservative political views. This was not a conservatism of Thatcher’s ‘there’s no such thing as society’ flavour,” Richard said.
“Rather, his conservatism was one driven by service – driven by a belief in institutions making society better through action.
“He had the energy to work with bureaucracy and change those institutions for the better. Policy and paperwork were a means to improve lives, not tools to accrue power for the few.
“I imagine threads connecting each piece of his many areas of service.
“His love of horses and racing led him to charity race meetings in Beaudesert for Boystown, then organising race meetings in Brisbane to benefit Mt Olivet hospice for many years, which is the hospital’s major fundraising activity of the year and has raised over $1.5 million for the care of frail-aged and terminally ill people of any background …
“The thread continues as Mt Olivet exposed him to the Sisters of Charity who wanted to expand their palliative care, and he remained their advisor and confidant for over 20 years.
“They were like-minded people of service, leading to the Order of Malta, into which he was welcomed.
“This led him to eventually become Australian hospitalier and national president for the order.
“This charity work in turn had he and Mum visiting and working in East Timor to build hospital and ambulance services. So, this in turn exposed him to a diplomatic career as Queensland Honorary Consul to East Timor.
“The Order of Malta played a significant role in Dad’s life.
“It was a focus for his faith in Christ, and a perfect vehicle for giving and service. … It meant he oversaw national and international charitable works.
“Our family is extremely proud of the work as it helped those most underprivileged in Australia and overseas.”
Apart from his papal award, Dr Marshall also was named a Member of the Order of Australia in 2013, for his services to rural education, medical care and the beef industry.
“Dad assumed leadership easily and effectively,” Richard said.
“His particular talent seemed to be identifying an area of need, starting things and taking the lead early, but handing over to the right people and moving on to the next area of need.
“It is important to also communicate the fun-loving, Queensland bushie, larrikin side of Dad.
“He was always ready for a joke, and wanted to laugh with those around him, whether holding court over a glass of red in the Brisbane Club, or a Fourex at the front bar at the Royal Hotel in Allora.
“Ultimately, my father was both an interesting man and incredibly interested in life and the lives of others – interested in service of humans and animals, service and community, profoundly interested in his family and that of his wonderful partner in life … and indeed very interested in his Scottish heritage …
“But if my father did anything right in life, it was the good fortune to fall in love with the graceful, intelligent and beautiful Judith Ann Haupt.
“They were married in 1964 at St Agatha’s Clayfield, had three children and settled in The Gap.
“Above all he loved his wife, children, siblings, nieces and nephews, and wider family … He taught me that family was the most important thing in life.”