His slow easy-going walk is recognizable and is always accompanied by his relaxed posture and loud voice. But, no matter how bad his day has been, or how tired he feels, senior Jeff Marshall will have a smile on his face and will do his best to make everyone around him laugh. Marshall, also known as “Jeff Fuh Fuh,” is willing to help others.

The nickname “Jeff Fuh Fuh” took off the day Marshall was first introduced to Groom School via players at football two-a-days during then summer of 2014. When asked what his name was, he responded “Jeff-f-f,” so people would be clear on both his name and its spelling.

“Trenton Fields (a senior then) was the originator of the pronunciation, and I liked it and perpetuated the pronunciation,” Larry Roskens said, who was the head football coach at the time.

His character and how he relates to others – more than his name or any number of nicknames – may be the way many identify him, though.

“I would describe him as genuine, kind-hearted, always eager and willing to help anyone – and trustworthy,” mother Mary Marshall said.

Jeff has attended Groom School for three years after moving to Groom from Frenship his sophomore year.

“I like how accepting everyone is and how much the school helps you to make sure you become successful,” Jeff said. “And how well the administrators have prepared me for the next level of education.”

Marshall plans to attend Amarillo College to get his basics. Then he intends to transfer to West Texas A&M University to earn his bachelors in education to become a teacher and a coach.

“All my life I’ve had great coaches that have inspired me to want to be a teacher of the games that I love,” Jeff said. “And, I see it as a way of giving back to the sports. They are an important part of my life.”

There’s one challenge that Jeff has had to overcome, but even then he’s used this obstacle as a positive.

“Moving around a lot and not really having permanent friends has made me able to understand that there are different groups of people, which has made me a people person,” Jeff said.

Many students at Groom School claim him as a friend.

“One thing that makes him one of my good friends is that you can trust him with anything you want to tell him,” sophomore Adrian Hendricks said. “He’s not the person that goes around telling people things that that you expected him to keep to himself.”

Jeff is thankful for his mom and hopes to be like her one day.

“My mom has been the best parent I could ask for. She has taken on the role of being both parents for most of my teen life,” Jeff said. “She has been a dad and a mom, and I don’t know how she’s done it because I’m a pain sometimes, but she is the strongest person I know, and I can only pray to be half the person she is.”

The feelings in this relationship aren’t just from him, though, they are mutual.

“I admire his heart. He has been my biggest supporter the last seven years,” Mary said. “I can’t imagine what my days here at Groom ISD are going to be like without him.”

Jeff is thankful for all his friends and family, but there’s one person he would like to thank for helping him out the most.

“Kevin, he’s made me the man I am today in only three years,” Jeff said of his mom’s friend, Kevin Kerlee.

In these three years at Groom School, Jeff has participated in the following activities: football, basketball, track, tennis, one act play, UIL Social Studies and FFA. In the midst of all of these activities, though, Jeff seems to keep his focus on his teammates, rather than the events involved.

“My son is the most compassionate young man,” Mary said. “He would worry about someone else’s feelings before his own.”