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He spent 15 years at the Petersburg newspaper in the 1970s and 1980s, moving from sports writer to sports editor, and then managing editor. He also was known for his work with area softball leagues.
PETERSBURG — Former Progress-Index sports and managing editor Harry Marsh died Sunday. He was 74.
In the 1970s and 1980s, Marsh was a familiar face in the Petersburg newspaper office on Franklin Street. Starting as a sports reporter, he moved to the sports editor’s desk after three years.
Sports was in Marsh’s blood his whole life. He earned 15 letters in four sports and was the first football player at Matoaca High School to make the All-State team.
Five years after taking the sports editor position, Marsh became the newspaper’s managing editor, a job he held for seven years. He was at the helm in March 1982 when a fire burned down a building next door, killing Petersburg firefighter Mike Goff. Despite heavy damage to the newspaper building, particularly the newsroom, the newspaper still managed to get published the next day.
“It was such a helpless feeling – standing, watching and wondering as flames soared into the damp night air,” Marsh wrote in recounting the events of the night. “The news department damage is extensive and will take months to repair. An early estimate to the newspaper was $1 ½ million. But the grand old building, with three-foot concrete walls between floors, will be returned to form.”
While at the newspaper, Marsh became instrumental in the growth of the Petersburg-based United States Slo-Pitch Softball Association (USSSA). He eventually left the newspaper to join USSSA as its communications director.
He was elected to the USSSA Hall of Fame in 2014.
In addition to his media work, Marsh also was a member of the Chesterfield Planning Commission. He also was active in the Appomattox Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter events.
Marsh is survived by his wife, Connie; two daughters, two sons, five grandchildren; two brothers and one sister.
Tributes on the J.T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home website noted Marsh’s deep interest in local sports. One called him “a very important man” in the life of the former St. Vincent dePaul High School baseball team.
“Harry was always fun to be around,” remembered Keith Seaman on the page.
Marsh’s funeral will be Thursday morning at the funeral home’s Dinwiddie chapel, with burial at Blandford Cemetery in Petersburg.
Veteran journalist Bill Atkinson (he/him/his) is the regional daily news coach for the USA TODAY Network Southeast Region’s Unified Central group, which includes Virginia, West Virginia and portions of North Carolina. He is based at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia. Contact Bill at batkinson@progress-index.com, and follow him on Twitter at @BAtkinson_PI.
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