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Jakub Marshall

Image by Nick Andréka

JAKUB JULES MARSHALL

May 8, 1995 - March 11, 2022

Our family is devastated by the loss of Jakub Marshall. Jakub battled with schizophrenia privately and bravely until it took his life at age 26 on March 11, 2022. The family is shocked beyond words by his unexpected passing.

 

Our family will forever remember and honour him as an amazing, caring and accomplished young man. He leaves behind many loving family members; parents Tracy Woodward and Aaron Marshall, their partners Serge Carriere and Christine Strike, his brother Sefton Marshall and sister Genevieve Strike. He leaves behind Grandma Mary Marshall and Grandpa Dane Purschke, Grandma Cathy and Grandpa Jim Strike. He has left too soon his Aunts and Uncles Nancy and Michael Kleiman, Rick and Sharolynn Woodward, Ian and Deborah Marshall, Christopher and Tamara Marshall, and Stephen and Tracy Strike. He left too soon his cousins Eric and Geoff Wright and Rebecca Kleiman; Ashley (Mike) Woytiuk and their children, Courtney (Chris) Bickerton and their children, and Devon Woodward; Noah, Josh, Broden, and Patrick Marshall; Spencer and Mackenzie Strike. He leaves behind childhood friend Thomas Arnason-McNeil and many friends and colleagues he has connected with over the years in the community, work and school.

 

Jakub was born in Toronto and spent several childhood years in Seattle before the family settled in Winnipeg, just in time to start kindergarten at Riverview School. As a child he loved building massive brio train tracks, Lego and reading Harry Potter. He enjoyed fencing, which appealed to his castles and dragons imagination and individualistic way of thinking, and fenced his way up to the provincial team. He started going to Camp Stephens every summer, often with neighborhood friends, and made many wonderful memories of island camp and canoe trips. Winnipeg Folk Festival was another summer highlight, where he enjoyed the people, music, camping, mosquitos, sunburn and roaming free on the prairie grass. Music lessons began very young and involved some varied piano teachers before settling on the Music Cellar, which provided a fantastic community of aspiring musicians. By the end of high school his music interest had morphed into full blown high school bands, regular jamming, song writing and some performing gigs. Going to music school became the obvious choice for him, and with encouragement of some music teachers he joined the Brandon University School of Music.

 

Jakub completed his Bachelor of Music Composition at Brandon University where he won a silver medal. He went on to Carleton University to obtain a Master of Arts degree in Music and Culture. He wrote his thesis about punk and new wave’s connection to the work of General Idea and the politics of the time, which you're welcome to read here. He loved the world of ideas and became passionate about the history and philosophy of political movements and revolutions. He loved group music projects and was a participant and leader in many creative works over the years. He enjoyed travel and felt a strong affinity for Toronto and urban culture. He was equally comfortable in the outdoors, camping, canoeing and chilling at the cottage.

 

Jakub loved music and books throughout his life; he learned about and interpreted the world through them. He was a unique and critical thinker who had recently started studying city planning and was working as an intern for the provincial government. He had hopes to build a career in government to make a difference developing public policy or working with not-for-profits. Jakub was thoughtful, sensitive and idealistic, and challenged all who knew him to dream of a different world. As he was working through the typical struggles of a 26 year old finding his place in the world during these difficult times, he kept his enormous internal struggles with schizophrenia private.

Jakub's family kindly requests that all of his friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour his memory by watching the photo-biography above. Please, also consider sharing your own photos, memories, and stories by making use of the comment section on this page.

 

You're also invited to learn more about Jakub by viewing this flipbook, listening to some of his music, or by reading a few of the things he has written

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, April 11, 2022 at 603 Wellington Crescent at Academy Road (Unitarian Church).

ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

Memories, Stories and Condolences

 

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Tracy Woodward

September 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM

My favourite moment was when Jakub was born.  He came into this world perfect and left the same.  I loved him with all my heart and soul.  I am the luckiest mom in the world to have had such a son.

Matthew Lawrence

September 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM

Thinking of you all and sending lots of love. One of my most immediate memories of Jakub was the sound of his laugh. The last time I spoke with him we shared a round of beers at the Goodwill (me, Tom and Jakub). It was nice to re-connect a bit with him, and hear that laugh a little bit again.❤

Lisa Grande

September 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM

Tracy /Aaron and families… there aren’t words to express how sorry we are for your loss. We are grateful and blessed to have known Jakub. He was always so kind and thoughtful. He combined the Marshall love for academics and the Woodward passion for the Arts into the incredibly  accomplished musician/ composer/ writer that he was. My favourite memories are visiting in Seattle with Alison and country-fying your city boys whenever they came to visit us in Lucky Lake. He will be deeply missed but never forgotten. With love.. Lisa, Gord and girls

Jackie & Mike Touchette

September 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM

Christine, Aaron,Sefton, Genevieve and family, we are so sorry for your loss, our deepest condolences to all of you.  You have such wonderful memories of Jakub and those  will live on forever . ❤

Colette Simonot-Maiello

September 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM

Jakub was in several of my musicology classes at Brandon University. My favourite memory of Jakub is the day he came into my office demanding that I assign more research essays at the School of Music. Since I was forever encouraging students to work on transferable skills (like research and writing), this was a proud moment! From then on, we worked together to improve his writing before he went to Carleton to do his MA. He was a creative, critical thinker and a kind, thoughtful student. We had lots of fascinating conversations about popular culture and musicology and I was glad to see the directions in which he was heading. I was heartbroken to hear about what Jakub dealt with in the last months of his life... his family and friends have my deepest condolences. 

Brenda Schneider

September 25, 2024 at 7:32 PM

We were very fortunate to be involved with Jakub during his time with us at The Music Cellar. We respected his dedication and enjoyed his quiet reflections on the importance of music in his life. We wish to extend our sympathies to Jakub’s entire family. He was a wonderful young man from a loving family. (David and Brenda Schneider)

Sarah Usick

September 25, 2024 at 7:31 PM

Fellow students at BU School Music, I met Jakub at the Wild Studio conference in Riding Mountain National Park in May 2016. During hikes, meals and downtime, I was so privileged to hear interesting thoughts and ideas from this person! He was an infinite fountain of new perspectives and was so easy to talk to. You will be sorely missed! 

Aaron Marshall

September 25, 2024 at 7:31 PM

Memorial bench now installed at west end of Provencher bridge across the street from the Canadian Museum for Human rights

Leanne Zacharias

September 25, 2024 at 7:31 PM

Jakub was a memorable student and person - keen listener and observer, gentle presence and active contributor with both strong opinions and an open mind. Along with many other faculty from the Brandon University School of Music, I'm so sorry to hear of how he struggled, and send deep condolences to all of his family and friends. 

Sheri Arnason

September 25, 2024 at 7:31 PM

Jakub was a sweetie, so smart and gentle. He was the benevolent overload of Lego town. Such a good friend to my son, so strong and true. The world will miss his brilliance.

Aaron Marshall

September 25, 2024 at 7:31 PM

Bench plaque

Leanne Zacharias

September 25, 2024 at 7:31 PM

Jakub making audio recordings in Riding Mountain National Park, 2016
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