Obituary: Marshall Douglas Maxwell, 26

Information via Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home

Marshall Douglas Maxwell was born in Bridgeport Hospital, on January 18, 1993. His mom missed her own baby shower because he was born two months premature. He was born with a heart defect, which was finally corrected with open heart surgery when he was ten months old.
In elementary school, being battered by bullies didn’t deter him. He was the happiest, most carefree child possible and was a dedicated member of Easton Cub Scouts, Pack 166 and Trumbull Boy Scout Troop 67. He was also honored to be an altar server at Holy Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church in Bridgeport.

Not a day went by that his mom did not have a grateful heart for his life. Everyone thought he and his sister were twins, and they were inseparable. By adolescence, his inner pain became unbearable, and he struggled with depression and substance abuse. Marshall graduated from Joel Barlow High School in Easton in 2011, the year he lost his best friend, Robert Smuniewski.

He moved to Bowling Green, Kentucky to pursue manufacturing and was proud to be a part of the first group to graduate from Vermont Thread Gage Company’s Apprenticeship Program in 2017, earning high marks in every class, including trigonometry. Marshall had a work ethic second to none.

Marshall loved history, world geography, architecture, travel, welding, photography, music, basketball, exercise, skiing and trains. He was a horse whisperer and particularly loved his cat Cliff, who died in his arms in 2012. Marshall was a gentle, kind, loving and compassionate man with unsurpassed tenacity. He aimed for a simple, clean life. Marshall loved God with all his heart until he sank into darkness in the summer of 2019 and took his own life on Nov. 19. He touched so many lives that he was unaware of.

Survivors include his beloved mother, Stacy (Lytwyn) Maxwell of Easton and her partner, Mark D. Stewart of Highlands, NJ; his father, Robert D. Maxwell of Tyron, NC; his cherished sister (and childhood “twin”), Alexandra Amanda Maxwell of New York City; and his godmother, Patricia Grassi of Easton.

He is also survived by his uncle, Paul P. Lytwyn and his wife, Diane of Fairfield; his grandmother, Patricia Maxwell; uncle, Michael Maxwell and his wife, Jessica; cousin, Brandon of Chicago; his cousins, Larissa Breedlove and her husband, John of the Bronx, NY; Samantha and Christopher Metty, Stacey Carmon of Tallahassee, FL, and her family, Steve Manna Jr., as well as other family members in Michigan and Ukraine.

He was predeceased by his uncle, Michael Lytwyn and beloved grandparents, Myron, whom he endearingly called “Gidoo” and Alexandra Lytwyn, his beloved Baba, whom he connected with in every sense of the word. He was also predeceased by his cousin Jason, uncle Douglas Sosh, grandfather Robert D. Maxwell Sr., and godfather, Josesph Grassi.

Now they are all together in the arms of Jesus who will love and rock them tenderly without reserve for eternity. Vichnio pomyt!

Friends are invited to greet his family 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home, 50 Reef Road, in Fairfield Center. The Panakhyda service will be held at 4 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place 10 a.m. Monday at the Holy Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 457 Noble Ave., in Bridgeport. Interment will follow in Lawncroft Cemetery.

The family asks for contributions to be made to the Association to Benefit Children’s Mobile Team, 404 E. 91st St., New York, NY 10128 and/or to: Holy Protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary Ukrainian Catholic Church, 255 Barnum Ave., Bridgeport, CT 06608.

For more information and to leave online condolences, visit the Shaughnessey-Banks Funeral Home website.