We were saddened by the news of Peabody community leader Bob Marshall’s death.

His wife, Susan, is the news editor for the Peabody Gazette-Bulletin and we have nearly daily contact with her to “talk shop.” Although we did not have as much contact with Bob as we did his wife, we felt we “knew” Bob through Susan and her columns.

In her columns, Susan lovingly referred to Bob as “The Mister,” sharing snapshots of her life with her readers — and her newspaper family.

There is hardly a weekend in the summer that Bob isn’t auctioneer at a sale, often offering his professional services for free for fundraising efforts.

If there are any doings in Peabody, you can bet that Bob and the Marshall family have some hand in it — supporting the community in some way.

He was hardworking, always busy, and ready to share his love of music through workshops and seminars.

How many lives did Bob touch as an educator, community leader, and businessman?

Hundreds?

Thousands?

It’s hard to tell.

The large number of flowers, plants, casseroles, desserts, and cards delivered this past week to the Marshall home on Sycamore Street is a good indication of how much he was appreciated — and how much he will be missed.

When a community loses a leader, someone usually feels compelled to step up and fill the void.

This will be a mighty big void to fill.

— susan berg