Deloris Marshall
OBITUARY
Deloris Marshall (née Quarterman), 90, of Allentown, PA, entered into rest on January 21, 2026. Born May 25, 1935, in Philadelphia, she later made Allentown her lifelong home and dedicated decades to public service, housing justice, and community advocacy.
A graduate of William Allen High School (1953), Deloris attended Livingston College for one semester before returning home. She began her advocacy work early, serving as president of the Little Lehigh Property Owners and Renters Organization and standing for fair treatment of Black homeowners during urban redevelopment in the 1960s. She returned to Cedar Crest College in 1974, earned her Bachelor of Social Work degree in 1977, and began work with the Allentown Housing Authority that same year, serving until her retirement in 1998.
Her service continued well beyond retirement through medical social work and community ministries. She was honored with citations from the Pennsylvania House and Senate (2008), received the Allentown NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award (2019), and was recognized by the City of Allentown. In later years, she was featured with her son in The New York Times (Sunday edition, September 10, 2023) and by WFMZ Channel 69 on her 90th birthday.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 57 years, Frederick Lee Marshall (d. September 25, 2013), and is survived by her sons, Erick Lynn Marshall and Frederick Wayne Marshall, as well as grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, at St. James AME Zion Church, 410 Union Street, Allentown, PA 18103. Viewing will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by funeral services at 11:00 a.m.
To learn more, visit:
https://www.facebook.com/delorisqmarshall
“Well done, good and faithful servant.”
— Matthew 25:23