Several of Brad Marsh's best friends posed Thursday afternoon with a photo taken following the 2004 Canton-Salem soccer match. Pictured are (front row from left) Adam Pitt, Kyle Gismondi, Matt Priebe, (back row from left) Adam Stanko, Neil Richter, Jeff Morency, Steve Zelmanski, Corey Bujega, Sean Williams and Dave Hall.

Brad Marsh: 1986-2010
Friends and family remember
Marsh as a kind, caring soul

  Brad Marsh was much more than a beloved family member and a loyal friend to the small group of people who congregated behind his south Canton home Thursday afternoon.

  He was, simply put, one of the nicest, most-unselfish and athletically-gifted people they will ever know.

  Marsh, a 2005 graduate of Canton High School and a captain on the school's 2004 soccer team, died early Sunday morning as the result of a two-car accident on a highway south of Chicago.

  The 23-year-old senior at Western Michigan University was returning to the campus from a summer internship as an assistant cafeteria manager at Yellowstone National Park.

  "I know it's so cliche to say, 'He was such a great guy' when someone passes, but Brad was, honestly, out of all of our friends, the nicest kid," said Steve Zelmanski, who first met Marsh in middle school. "Not once did I ever see him get mad and I never remember a time when he wasn't smiling.

  "If you were in a bad mood, he would be the one cracking a joke to make you feel better. Even though we were all the same age as Brad, we looked up to him. We admired him for the person he was and the leader he was."

  Zelmanski joined nine other friends of Marsh on an overcast Thursday afternoon for a pick-up game of soccer on the grassy area behind the Marsh family  home in south Canton.

  More than anything, the get-together provided therapy for several young men in their early-20s who four days earlier had a huge part of their lives taken from them.

  "Brad was probably the nicest person, hands down, I have ever met," said Neil Richter, who has known Marsh since the first day of second grade. "I don't think he had a single enemy. Ever. You were happier if you were around Brad Marsh. I don't know how else to put it."

  "No matter what, if you needed something -- money, a ride, gas -- Brad would be there," Sean Williams added. "The other night we got together to share memories of Brad and I was laughing so much my cheeks were hurting."

  The last time Brian Marsh saw his younger brother was two weeks ago when he flew out to Yellowstone to spend time with Brad.

  "Being out there brought out something I've never seen in Brad," said Brian Marsh. "It was the most excited I think he's ever been. He absolutely loved working out there. He had peace in his life.

  "The second day I was out there, we drove all around Yellowstone and he showed me his favorite parts of the park. He loved the place and was planning on going back out there to work after he graduated from Western."

  It wasn't long before Brian Marsh discovered the widespread positive impact his brother had on his Yellowstone co-workers.

  "Every single person I talked to had nothing but great things to say about Brad," said Brian Marsh. "I remember going into one place and someone asked me who I was. I said, 'I'm Brian Marsh,' and they said, 'Oh, you're Brad's brother! I love that kid!'

  "Remembering things like that helps now."

  In addition to being an outstanding person, Brad Marsh was a top-notch soccer player at Canton and on the select teams he starred for growing up.

  "We were all talking the other night about the best part of Brad's game," Zelmanski said, "and we couldn't put our finger on it because he was such a great all-around player. He had great vision and he saw the game one step ahead of everybody else. It's like the game was in slow-motion for him."

  "Whatever sport he attempted he was the best at it," remembered Brian Marsh. "I played hockey and one summer he decided to try and play. It wasn't long before he was the best player on his team."
   
  Visitation for Marsh will be held Friday from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Schrader-Howell Funeral Home, which is located at 280 South Main St. in Plymouth.

  A funeral mass for Marsh will be held Saturday at 10:30 a.m. at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, which is located at 44800 Warren. Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until the start of the funeral mass.

  Marsh was born Dec. 24, 1986, in Detroit. The son of Michael and Anne (Grajewski) Marsh, he was majoring in food marketing at WMU.

  In addition to his parents, Marsh is survived by his brother, Brian, and his sister, Kara (Ryan) Nienhuis; his nephew, Landon; his grandparents, Hugh and Jeannie Marsh; and numerous aunts and uncles. He was preceded in death by his grandparents Raymond and Irene Grajewski.

  Marsh attended Tonda Elementary School in Canton and Discovery Middle School.

  Always smiling and personable, Marsh made hundreds of friends throughout his all-too-short life.

  "I have known Brad since middle school and we've always been good friends," said Amy Gizicki, a former Salem soccer player who attended high school at the same time as Marsh. "I remember one year we both went to Indiana Soccer Camp and he always had a smile on his face, even after eight hours of playing soccer.

  "He was really good and he loved the game, and I will miss his courage and determination. I love you, Brad, and you will truly be missed."

  In lieu of flowers, contributions are suggested to the Brad Marsh Scholarship Fund, c/o Canton High School Athletics, 8415 Canton Center Rd., Canton, MI 48187; or Yellowstone Association, P.O. Box 117, Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, 82190

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.