Kenneth Edward Marshall

Kenneth Marshall Age 78, November 5, 2016. Beloved husband of Patricia for 53 years. Loving father of Kellie (Christian) DePauli, Dan and John Marshall. Proud grandpa of Cameron, Olivia and Nicholas DePauli. Ken grew up in Hazel Park, Michigan, where after high school he earned degrees in French and English at Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) and a teaching certificate from the University of Detroit. In fact, while working on his teaching fellowship at Miami, he was expert enough to be asked to instruct in French for one year. He was also exposed to harness racing from an early age since his father, Kenneth G. Marshall, was track superintendent at Hazel Park Raceway. Starting in 1951, he spent his summers doing odd jobs around the track for spending money. Once in the teaching world, he lived his ideal life: teaching during the winter months and spending summers at Northville Downs, interning in the racing office. Ken caught the eye of his mentor, Bill Connors, and became Bill's assistant once the siren call of the harness racing industry won over his teaching skills. Working in tandem with Bill Connors, Ken worked at Hazel Park, Northville Downs, Pompano Park, Wolverine Raceway, The Meadows, Louisville Downs, Tropical Park (Miami), Gator Downs (Bayard), and Jackson at Northville Downs. After traveling from 1964 through 1996, he came back to where it all began-- Hazel Park-- as director of racing in 1997 and took over his current title of director of racetrack operations in 2008. In addition to his duties at Hazel Park Ken was also the chairman of the United States Trotting Association District 2. He had in excess of 50 years' experience as a harness racing official and track manager, serving primarily in Florida, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Michigan. A member of the American Harness Racing Secretaries, Inc. since 1966, he served as its president in 1980-1981 and as a director from 1982 to the present. He was also on the board of directors of Hazel Park Raceway. Ken was inducted into the Michigan Harness Hall of Fame in 2011 and, most recently, into the Florida Harness Hall of Fame in 2015. To fill time on a flight home from Florida, he calculated the number of horses he had been instrumental in "putting on the racetrack." Conservatively, more than a million, including non-betting events and qualifiers. Ken was more than just a "Million Dollar Man" as a racing secretary; he was also intelligent, funny, a true gentleman and a dear friend to many. He will be sorely missed. A Memorial Visitation will be held at the R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Home, 15451 Farmington Rd., Livonia, Saturday, November 19, at 2 p.m. until time of service at 5 p.m. Memorial contributions may be directed to the Arc of NW Wayne County in memory of Ken, father of Dan Marshall. Please share a memory of Kenneth by signing his guestbook. Funeral Home: R.G. & G.R. Harris Funeral Home and Cremation Services 15451 Farmington Rd. Livonia, MI US 48154