Longtime Chief Joseph Days volunteers Tim and Shelley Marshall have been named this year’s grand marshals for the 76th Annual Chief Joseph Days.

JOSEPH — Longtime Chief Joseph Days volunteers Tim and Shelley Marshall have been named this year’s grand marshals for the 76th Annual Chief Joseph Days.

Tim was raised as a city boy and Shelley was a country girl when they made their home in Joseph 40 years ago. They raised two daughters, Abby Sutfin of Homedale, Idaho, and Heather Marshall of Valdez, Alaska. Both daughters graduated from Joseph High School, and served on the Chief Joseph Days court.

Shelley started volunteering for Chief Joseph Days in 1990, helping with the queen coronation dinner.

“Tim has been a volunteer for 30 years,” joked Shelley, “but he has never actually ‘volunteered.’”

That first year, they spent many hours creating decorations, props and making the dinner a fun and festive event.

In 1998 Shelley turned over the reins from the coronation dinner to help in the hospitality room. Shelley and Tim spent the next 23 years dedicating their time, energy and service there. In that time, the hospitality room grew from a simple tent that served cold cuts and soft drinks to a large building. The Chief Joseph Days hospitality room is known by cowboys and cowgirls as one the best in the Northwest, serving hungry contestants breakfast, lunch and dinner. On average, over 400 contestants and sponsors are served dinner nightly.

Shelley and Tim were there from sunup to sundown. Shelley kept everyone on their toes, and her energy and dedication meant volunteers better be ready to get to work.

Tim was the master of the grill. He had his own dedicated barbecue area right out back. Whether he liked it or not, he continually had a steady stream of visitors stopping in to compliment his cooking, have an ice-cold beer, and steal a small bite of amazing food straight off the grill.

Everyone learned Tim’s rule: “You do not rush the meat! The meat is ready when it’s ready!”

This was a lesson many learned the hard way. But they also learned that although Tim could not be persuaded to rush the meat, his bark was bigger than his bite.

Tim and Shelley were both awarded the coveted Justin Boot Committeeman of the Year Award. This award is part of the John Justin Standard of the West program. Each year, only 125 individuals across the country are presented with this award.

After serving on the Chief Joseph Days Rodeo Committee in an official capacity for 19 years, Shelley decided it was time to move on. The Marshalls officially hung up their hats in 2020. They now keep busy chasing 6-year-old grandson Marshall Call Sutfin.

“We are excited to honor Tim and Shelley as our grand marshals,” Chief Joseph Days Rodeo President Terry Jones said. “It is a very well-deserved honor, and we appreciate the many years and countless hours they devoted to Chief Joseph Days.”