High school science teacher liked a good pun

By STEPHANIE HAYES, Times Staff Writer
Published November 2, 2007

ADVERTISEMENT Guestbook View & sign guest book for Jerry Marsh Jerry Marsh, 61, was a science teacher at Plant City, King and Gaither High schools.

TAMPA - She swore she would never date him.

She grew up a few blocks from him in Seminole Heights. They were classmates from elementary through high school.

But he wasn't her style. He had a wild side. His parents raised him well, but his friends "added a little bit of spice." He hung out in the woods. He fished and went to auto races. And every day at lunch, he'd sneak off Hillsborough High's campus for lunch at a local drive-in.

Later, at the University of South Florida, she enrolled in a microbiology lab. Also in the class: her neighbor and high school classmate. Only...

"I thought he was very different," she said. "He was much more serious and much more intent on school and trying very hard."

He wanted to be a scientist and research encephalitis. He spent a semester working in mosquito control. He could snatch a bug out of the air with two swift fingers.

When he needed help on a test, she invited him over to study. She finally went back on the promise not to date him.

In 1970, Nancy Johnson married Jerry Marsh.

* * *

Encephalitis jobs were few, so Mr. Marsh considered other things. Teaching was a good fit, and a high school biology teacher had inspired him.

His wife, now supervisor of secondary science education for Hillsborough County schools, also was a science teacher. At home, they talked about classroom challenges. They shared lesson plans and ideas.

They had two daughters, Allison and Meredith. Mr. Marsh taught for 36 years at schools including Plant City, King and Sickles high schools.

He liked to get off campus, taking students to aquariums and marine labs. On Saturday mornings, they often met him at beaches or river cleanups.

A wisecracker, he used puns to help teach. He would hold competitions with other teachers and students to see who could fling puns the longest.

His jokes were groaners.

"Once you get in the habit of doing puns, it becomes impossible to stop," said Nancy Marsh, now 61.

* * *

Mr. Marsh quietly battled prostate cancer for 11 years. He died Wednesday. He was 61.

Whenever possible, he read books on cancer and asked questions.

"He was a science person," said his wife. "He was really interested in finding out exactly what was going on with himself."

He wanted to understand.

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at shayes@sptimes.com or 727 893-8857.

BIOGRAPHY

Jerry Marsh

Born: July 15, 1946.

Died: Oct. 31, 2007.

Services: Visitation is from 5-7 p.m. today at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 15520 N Boulevard., Tampa;Mass, 3 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary's and burial at Garden of Memories Cemetery.

Donations: Environmental Fieldtrip Fund at the Hillsborough Education Foundation, 2010 E Hillsborough Ave., Suite 212; Tampa, FL 33604.

[Last modified November 1, 2007, 22:40:44]