Longtime Henderson dentist, civic leader Marshall dies

Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005 | 9:52 a.m.

Voters in Henderson's early days did not generally give their city council members a second chance.

In 1967, when Henderson City Councilman Paul T. Marshall, a local dentist, sought re-election, just one other council member in the then-14-year history of the city had won a second term -- Lou LaPorta in 1957.

But Marshall's presence in the community as a business leader, his work fighting air-pollution in the valley and his dedication to public service that included attending and observing planning commission meetings during his first term in office, apparently convinced voters to give him four more years.

Dr. Paul Taylor Marshall, who practiced as a dentist in Henderson for more than 40 years and regularly appeared in Henderson Industrial Days parades driving vintage Ford automobiles he had restored, died Thursday at St. Rose Dominican Hospital's Siena Campus. He was 77.

Services for the Henderson resident of 51 years were Tuesday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Arrowhead Chapel in Henderson. Interment was in Boulder City Cemetery.

During Marshall's two terms, he served as the City Council's appointee to the Henderson City Plumbing Board and the Clark County Air Pollution Control Board. Marshall also represented the city at the 1964 National League of Cities meeting in Florida.

He was a longtime member of the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and the Rotary Club, serving as its president from 1984 to 1985.

Born Jan. 28, 1928, in Provo, Utah, to Milton Marshall and the former Julia Taylor, he served in the Army in Korea and later attended Brigham Young University. Marshall earned his doctorate degree in dentistry at the Northwestern School of Dentistry in Chicago in 1953.

In 1954, a year after Henderson was incorporated, Marshall set up his initial practice at 34 Water St.

He was elected to the City Council Ward 1 seat in 1963 and, in 1967, faced a tough re-election challenge from two-time former Henderson Mayor and former Nevada Assemblyman Bill Byrne.

But Marshall beat Byrne 844 to 685 in the primary in May 1967 and, a month later, bested Byrne 1,996 to 1,131, in the general election.

Getting re-elected was so rare that in that same election, two other incumbent Henderson City Council members lost: Ida Belle Riggins was defeated by barber Pratt Prince, and Dale Roberts lost to Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital -- now University Medical Center -- Board Chairman Barney Cannon.

Marshall was a member and former secretary of the Clark County Dental Society and a member of the Nevada State Dental Society, the American Dental Association and the American Society of Dentistry for Children.

In 1999, Marshall went on a Mormon mission to Chicago. He was a Las Vegas Temple worker until the time of his death.

Marshall, a one-time Boy Scout leader, also was an avid fisherman, hunter, camper and amateur geologist.

Marshall is survived by his wife of 55 years, Carol Marshall of Henderson; three daughters, Collen Garlick of Las Vegas, Jane Nash of Henderson and Juanita Nielsen of Denver; three sons, Brian Marshall and Kent Marshall, both of Henderson, and Richard Marshall of Glendale, Ariz.; a sister, Marie Miner of Canoga Park, Calif.; a brother Mark Marshall of Reseda, Calif.; 23 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by two brothers, Robert and John, and a daughter, Diana.

The family says donations can be made in Dr. Paul T. Marshall's memory to the mission fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.