January 27, 2025
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Bureau County Republican

Kevin Marsh a friend to all

By Kevin Hieronymus

Kevin Marsh

I first met Kevin Marsh in the end zone of Bryant Field in Princeton. He was watching his stepson Blake Pratt run the ball for the Tigers and shooting pictures.

I discovered he was a pretty good photographer and hired him as a photo stringer for the BCR. He became my full-time sportswriter and later photographer for the BCR.

We became fast friends, just like anyone who ever met Kevin. To know Kevin was to love Kevin. If you didn’t love Kevin, then you just didn’t know how to love.

He called me Hollywood, because he once saw me on TV after a postseason baseball game in St. Louis. He was an avid Cardinals fan, too.

Sadly, we lost Kevin on Sept. 7, after fighting a short battle with cancer. Taken from us much too soon at 58.

I was honored to offer a eulogy during Kevin’s funeral service.

With Kevin, what you saw is what you got. And we sure got a lot of love and laughter from him.

Who could ever forget the Man Page he penned for the BCR with his sidekick Greg Wallace? Kevin just wrote what was on his mind and perhaps needed some censoring from time to time.

He was just an all-around good guy and friend to all. I’m sure going to miss him greatly. I don’t think I will ever go to a football game or Cardinals game again without thinking of Kevin.

Roll Tide, Kevin!

• Say what?: If you were like me, you must have thought it was pretty strange to see the old Hieronymus byline in the News Tribune recently. With the recent acquisition of the NewsTribune by Shaw Media, the BCR's parent company, you will find this more common.

I’ve always believed the Illinois Valley was in great hands with sports coverage over the years from both the BCR and News Trib as well as from the radio side. I would have been envious to have that kind of coverage back home during my days in sports.

That coverage only promises to become better and stronger now that we are teaming up with the NT. Kevin and Brandon do a great job there and will now add their touch into our coverage here at the BCR.

We will both continue to offer our own unique coverage and features with a boost from one another. I believe you are going to especially enjoy our new team coverage.

Kevin Hieronymus has been the BCR Sports Editor since 1986. Contact him at khieronymus@bcrnews.com.