Dr Tricia Marshall, who died on 27 October 2002 from lung cancer, was born in Carlisle on November 9 1929. After qualifying MB, BS(Dur.) in 1952, she returned to Carlisle to spend a year as a trainee general practitioner - her intention being to make that her career.
In 1954, she married Merlin Marshall. Over the next 10 years, she had a very busy life, working part-time in general practice while raising her five children. As if this was not enough, she looked after her aunt who had Parkinson's disease and then her mother-in-law who had senile dementia for 11 years.
In the sixties, she became involved with The Catholic Marriage Advisory Council (CMAC) and for over 20 years did voluntary work in marital and psychosexual counselling. For 6 years, she was a member of the National Executive Council CMAC with one year as Chairman. She travelled widely abroad, lecturing on counselling and psychosexual matters. From 1979 to 1983, she was a member of the Home Office/Department of Health and Social Security Working Party on Marriage Guidance, which published a consultative Document ‘Marriage Matters’.
This experience led her into psychotherapy, in which she maintained a lifetime interest. In 1983, she gained a Diploma in Psychotherapy at Leeds. After 2 years as a registrar in psychotherapy, she moved into general psychiatric training and in 1978, she became MRCPsych and was later elected Fellow.
1986 saw her appointed Consultant Psychiatrist at St George's Hospital Morpeth, where she worked until retirement in April 2000 at the age of 70. In addition to her psychiatric work there, she took an active part in administration, being a member of the Medical Executive Committee for several years and chairman for some time.
She was loved, and to some extent feared, by staff and patients - feared because of her considerable presence and a way she had of quelling dissenters (from the chairman of the Executive Committee downwards) with ‘one of her looks’. On the other hand, she was nonjudgemental. Their affection was demonstrated by the unusually large number of staff and patients who attended her funeral.
After retirement, she did voluntary work for the National Trust, the local hospice, Age Concern, and produced news tapes for the hearing-impaired.
Tricia came from a large extended family where hospitality was the name of the game. She carried on this tradition in her home in Newcastle. The many friends of her children and others were always welcome to stay.
Tricia is survived by three sons, two daughters and eleven grandchildren. They all, with her many friends, miss her sadly.
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