Obituary: Owen O’Donnell Marshall, Age 2

Owen O’Donnell Marshall, age 2, died peacefully while in hospice care on Wednesday, October 16, surrounded by his family.

Born in Newburyport, Mass., on August 27, 2011, he is survived by his parents Peter and Sommer Marshall of Georgetown, formerly of Amesbury; his big sister Ellie Marshall of Georgetown; his maternal grandparents, Marylou and Tony Hammond of Minneapolis, Minnesota; his paternal grandparents, Jason and Linda Marshall of Tewksbury; and his many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Owen, a blue-eyed, red-haired, loving little boy, was cherished by his parents, big sister, family, friends and caregivers. He earned the love and affection of many supporters from across the state and country for his courageous battle with a brain disease—documented by a blog his mother updated faithfully, chronicling his triumphs and challenges.

“This blog is my way of celebrating the blessing he is in my life and sharing the painful journey he has in this world,” his mother wrote.

Owen brought joy to all those who knew him and melted the hearts of those lucky enough to catch a glimpse of his bright, blue eyes. He loved being held and snuggling and became quite the traveler, taking special family trips, including one to New Hampshire and Santa’s Village this summer.

Like his parents, he was an avid sports fan. He wore his jerseys proudly on game days.

Owen recently celebrated his second birthday with a party and gifts with his family and friends, including a special dinosaur cake baked just for him.

To celebrate Owen’s life, a memorial service will be held Sunday, October 20, at 1:00 p.m. at Main Street Congregational Church, Amesbury, MA. A small reception will follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Owen’s name to: Pentucket Early Intervention, P.O. Box 356, West Newbury, MA, 01985.