Carl "Joe" Marstall

Carl Joseph "Joe" Marstall, of Middletown, born May 31, 1933 in Springboro, died unexpectedly Saturday, September 28, 2019 while doing yard work. He was 86. Joe was the son of Velma (Shaffer) and William H. Marstall, Sr. He was raised on a farm in Springboro under the tutelage of his "Granddaddy" Karl who, along with his two brothers, had been sent by their parents to the United States from Germany to escape the Third Reich. Granddaddy taught Joe "how to do a job until it was done right", work longer than the day is long and how to fix anything.

Even though there were farm chores to do before and after school, there was always time for sports. The Marstall brothers played them all. Competitively. Very competitively. Joe continued to compete with elite softball teams after serving in the United States Army during the Korean Conflict and while working 35 years at ARMCO/AK Steel. Joe married Janet Greenfield on February 11, 1956 and she preceded him in death on June 29, 2013. All during their married life she and the children followed him with those successful softball teams. But never was she so willing to support his "ball" fever as when he started to share his knowledge and expertise with his children and especially his grandchildren. He helped coach his grandchildren from grade school and his granddaughters Sara and Christen through high school fast pitch softball at Fenwick. All of the girls on the team called him grandpa and he loved it. Family meant everything to him and his heart was big enough to hold many arms full of baseball and softball teams. He taught many a child how to dribble a ball, swing a golf club, fish and hunt. He had the patience of a saint.

Joe is survived by three daughters, Karen (Matthew) Clemens of Middletown, Melissa Gallagher of Olathe, KS, and Joanne (Timothy) Bruggeman of Middletown. He is also survived by grandchildren, Benjamin Clemens, Sara Clemens (Robin) Harper, Christen Clemens (Jeffrey) Cryder, Adam Clemens, Janice (David) Sowder, Keri (Chris) Tyler, Lachlan, Bryce & Rosalie McDonald, Joseph (Allison) Bruggeman, Nathan (Lindsay) Bruggeman and Alan (Chelsea Farrell) Bruggeman and thirteen great grandchildren with another coming in November. He is also survived by two sisters, Anna Marie (Robert) Norris of Stillwater, MN and Wilma (Spencer) Duffey of Hamilton; sister-in-law, Barbara Trimble and brother-in-law, Fred Greenfield, both of Middletown, and a host of nieces, nephews, extended family & friends.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Janet; parents, William and Velma; brothers, William H. Marstall Jr. and Charles "Larry" Marstall and twelve of Janet's fourteen siblings.

Visitation will be Wednesday, October 2, 2019 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at Wilson-Schramm-Spaulding Funeral Home, 3805 Roosevelt Blvd, Middletown. Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 10:00 am at Holy Family Parish-Holy Trinity Church, 201 Clark St., Middletown. Burial will be at Woodside Cemetery and Arboretum with military honors conducted by the Middletown Combined Honor Guard.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. John XXIII School, 3806 Manchester Rd., Middletown, OH 45042.