Dr. Glyde Marsh, Ohio’s oldest elected official and a New Albany City Council member, passed away on September 11 two days shy of his 100^th birthday. He had served on New Albany’s Council since 1993.

“Dr. Marsh was a true American hero, someone who served his country and his community his entire life, and a genuinely good man,” said New Albany Mayor Sloan Spalding. “It was an honor to serve with him on Council. Council Chambers will not feel the same without his presence.”

As a boy growing up in rural northeastern Ohio, Glyde’s father introduced him to chickens. Little did he know at that time that this introduction would lead Glyde to graduate from vet school and become one of the pre-eminent poultry veterinarians in the country.

Glyde was a member of the “greatest generation”, having served as a military police officer in World War II. He loved to tell stories, and the stories he could tell. He was in Paris when Germany surrendered, witnessed the concentration camps in Germany and was on his way to Japan when that country surrendered to end World War II. He entered the Army in late 1941 after Pearl Harbor as a lieutenant and left military service as a lieutenant colonel.

After the war, Glyde came back to Ohio, moving to New Albany in 1946. He and his wife Margaret, the love of his life, wanted to start a family, and at that time everyone kept telling him the cheapest land in central Ohio was in New Albany. They purchased land and never left.

Glyde’s original plan was to attend medical school at The Ohio State University. Later, he decided his calling was to become a vet and work with chickens, and he switched to vet school. Upon graduation from vet school, Dr. Marsh taught at Ohio State’s vet school until 1985 while simultaneously serving a multitude of poultry business clients, including Bob Evans. Even up to his death, Dr. Marsh traveled throughout Ohio to serve those clients.

Dr. Marsh never retired from community service and always credited his wife Margaret for his involvement. He was elected to seven terms as a member of New Albany City Council (or Village Council prior to New Albany becoming a city). As a member of Council, Dr. Marsh served as President Pro Tempore, Chair of the Finance Committee, Council liaison to the Board of Construction Appeals, and Council Representative to Plain Township. He always viewed New Albany as a friendly community with many small town attributes and he worked hard to maintain that charm and character.

Prior to being elected to New Albany Council, he served three terms on the New Albany Plain Local School Board when his children were growing up in the community, and he was a poll worker at every election since 1954.

“Dr. Marsh always fought for what he thought was right and he always had his heart in the right place concerning New Albany,” added City Manager Joe Stefanov. “His fingerprints will continue to be on New Albany for decades to come. We thank him for his long and dedicated service and we will miss him dearly.”

Dr. Marsh wished to be cremated and there will be no memorial service. There will be a celebration of his life at the Philip Heit Center for Healthy New Albany, 150 W. Main Street, beginning at 2 PM this Friday, September 14. The public is invited.