Current News -- Golden Knight of the Year/Knight of the Year

2002-03 Golden Knight of the Year: Raymond W. Marshall

As a Parker-Wood Council member, Ray is active in virtually all Council endeavors. Ray was instrumental in the planning and development of both the Prayer Path and the Marian Garden at St. James Church. He also was among the team of Knights who helped make the St. James Catholic Cemetery a reality. Ray served as a planner, facilitator and liaison to the Pastoral Council for our first-ever Parish Appreciation Day.

Brother Marshall was among the many Parker-Wood Knights who walked the track during the early morning hours as part of the parish’s inaugural participation in the American Cancer Society’s 2002 Relay for Life. Ray’s contributions to the Council’s breakfast fund raisers and parish-wide efforts resulted in a donation of more than $3,300, nearly seven times the St. James goal.

Brother Marshall frequently is called upon to represent Council 9365 at statewide Knights of Columbus functions, and his presence is a constant at Council activities such as Operation L.A.M.B. solicitations, Rosary Recitations, Adopt-A-Highway clean-up days, Red Cross Blood Drives, Columbian Action Team work sessions, Spaghetti Dinners, Pancake Breakfasts and St. Patrick’s Day Dinner-Dances.

At St. James, Brother Ray is a member of the Choir (truly a labor of love) and a Eucharistic Minister. He is St. James’ representative to the Piedmont Deanery, a past usher, a former member of the Finance Council and currently serves as a Budget/Financial Analyst for the parish.

Brother Marshall served as Solicitor of Funds for the St. James Capital Campaign, which added a $1 million multi-purpose Parish Hall and Education Wing to our church, as well as improvements to our sanctuary. Ray also was a member of the Planning and Building Committee for the new additions and contributed numerous hours of sweat equity to the project.

Before coming to North Carolina, Brother Marshall was a past president and member of the St. Raphael’s Church Pastoral Council in Potomac, Md.

In North Carolina, Sir Knight Marshall serves on the Board of Directors of Catholic Social Ministries and chairs the organization’s Finance Committee.

Brother Ray also serves as Treasurer of the Holly Grove Home Owners Association in Bracey, Va., where he lives with his wife of more than 50 years, Mary. He also is past president of the Holly Grove association.

For his relentless spirit, his tireless work and unyielding passion for his Council, his church, his faith, his community, his friends and his family, we are pleased and proud to honor Sir Knight Raymond W. Marshall as Parker-Wood Council 9365's Golden Knight of the Year for 2002-2003 and respectfully request he be considered for North Carolina’s Golden Knight of the Year.

During the past year, Chef Schaenzer led his culinary staff in planning and preparing magnificent meals for our first-ever Pastor Appreciation Day, two St. Patrick’s Day Dinner Dances and three Relay for Life breakfast fund raisers. These events have enabled our Council to raise nearly $2,000 for cancer awareness, added more than $1,000 to our Council’s and the St. James Altar Society’s bank accounts and resulted in the single largest parish-wide activity in the history of St. James Church.

In September, Dick and his wife, Adelaide, teamed with Brother Ray Marshall and his wife, Mary, to host a reception following our Installation of Officers ceremony. What began as light hors d’oeuvres turned into quite an elegant meal for Knights, their families and honored guests thanks to Brother Schaenzer’s initiative and culinary flair.

Also this past year, our Council began a four-year commitment to the N.C. Department of Transportation to remove litter and debris from a 1.25-mile stretch of roadway that runs past our church. Dick was one of a handful of Knights to participate in both clean-up days, the second of which included teen volunteers from our parish. We can think of no finer role model for our young people than Brother Schaenzer.

Several times throughout the course of the year, Brothers from our Council lead the Recitation of the Rosary before the start of Sunday mass, and Dick always is among the volunteers who take a turn. As a past Operation L.A.M.B. chairman, our honoree knows first-hand the value of filling every time slot on our solicitation calendar and never misses a chance to don the red and yellow vest to solicit contributions from our community.

A Sir Knight of the Fourth Degree, Brother Schaenzer also has been among those Knights who assisted Red Cross personnel during all three of our blood drives held this past year. Not only did Dick contribute his time to the effort that collected a total of nearly 100 pints of blood but he volunteered some red cells as well.

Twice during the past year Dick traveled to exemplifications held in Cary and Fuquay-Varina to show his support for his Brother Knights. That Dick was the clear choice in the balloting for our Knight of the Year demonstrates the high regard with which he is held by his brethren.

We honor our brother, Richard C. Schaenzer, as Parker-Wood Council 9365’s Knight of the Year for 2002-2003 and proudly and humbly nominate him for consideration as North Carolina’s Knight of the Year.