In Memory: Eleanor Marsh

For nearly 30 years, Eleanor brought her many gifts, talents and enormous heart to bear in supporting The Greening of Detroit.

Eleanor’s loss leaves an enormous hole in our community, the greater Detroit area, and the world.

The world has lost an amazing human being, and The Greening of Detroit has lost an incomparable champion in Eleanor Marsh. For nearly 30 years, Eleanor brought her many gifts, talents and enormous heart to bear in supporting our mission – to inspire the sustainable growth of a healthy urban community through trees, green spaces, food, education, training and job opportunities, providing a greener tomorrow for our Detroit. 

Eleanor served as the second President of the Board for The Greening of Detroit, following her dear friend and the organization's founder Elizabeth Gordon Sachs. And Eleanor remained as a trusted advisor in the years following, up until her death on January 12, 2021. 

Eleanor took such pride in each and every park and planting The Greening of Detroit created over her tenure. She was our biggest advocate, our loudest voice that supported the reforestation efforts throughout Detroit. She led our fundraising committee, helping to raise critical support during some of the most challenging times. Eleanor did so much, whether it was making calls, planning top notch events or planting trees, she gave Detroit her all. The loss of her leadership and passion will be felt across the Detroit non-profit community. 

Her daughter Libby Marsh shared, “As our family grew, Mum loved to take us all, and especially her most treasured grandchildren, on tours of Detroit to see the latest garden or to hear about how the thousands of trees The Greening of Detroit had planted were helping to transform the City. She was such a natural advocate for the organization and for every one of the folks that The Greening’s programs helped along the way. In some ways she was most proud of those folks who didn’t take to the neighborhood projects right away – when in the end she’d won them over to the garden, even if it was by bribing them with food and refreshments, her work was done.”

Lionel Bradford, President of The Greening of Detroit shares, “Words cannot express what Eleanor meant to The Greening of Detroit. She was a true champion for the organization. She was our backbone and we are heartbroken. we appreciate and thank the Marsh family for sharing her with us all these years! Eleanor brought every tool at her disposal to help us be our best and prevail in tough times and at pivotal moments for the organization. She never missed an opportunity to raise the profile of our work. Every moment with Eleanor was informed by her integrity, humor, wisdom, and personal investment in our success. I am one of many people on our staff who gained golden, formative insights from Eleanor. Given her unyielding support and guidance, I will always feel so deeply proud of her confidence in what we do.”

Eleanor’s loss leaves an enormous hole in our community, the greater Detroit area, and in the world. As we grieve for her, we are so grateful for the opportunity to honor her legacy and continue to uphold her high standards in pursuing our mission.