Singapore Children’s Society mourns the loss of leading Singaporean social work pioneer and one of our long-serving volunteers, Mrs Jean Marshall.
Mrs Marshall was the wife of the late former chief minister David Marshall.
Mrs Marshall, 94, passed away on 29 March. She was an active volunteer at our Convalescent Home (now known as Sunbeam Place @ Children’s Society) from 1961 to 1976 and was a member of our Board from 1973 to 1978.
The Jean Marshall Challenge trophy, named for her in 1978, was presented annually at our Inter-Social Work Agency Tournament for older youth from 1978 to 1981. The tournament, targetted at 17- to 19-year-olds, was key to our youth outreach programme, and developed character through sportsmanship and self-discipline. By keeping young people on the field, the tournament also kept them away from crime and delinquency. Mrs Marshall was the Guest-of-Honour at a number of these tournaments.
Mrs Marshall was born in 1926 in the town of Orpington in England. She came to Singapore in 1953 to take up a post with the Red Cross, before going on to become a medical social worker. She became a Singapore citizen in 1960. Volunteering became a big part of her life after she stopped working full time following her marriage in 1961.
We are thankful for Mrs Marshall’s many contributions to our children in need. Over the years of her service, she was not only a volunteer but also a friend, and a firm part of the Singapore Children’s Society family.
Dedicated volunteer: Mrs Marshall presents the Jean Marshall Challenge Trophy and poses for a group photo in 1978 (back row, just right of centre)
Her legacy lives on through the numerous lives she has touched at Children’s Society and in Singapore.