SPC MARCUS DIONDRE DESHIELDS was born on August 14, 1999 in Baltimore, Maryland to Mark DeShields and Portia Johnson (Hayes). He suddenly departed this life on May 7, 2020.

Marcus obtained his education through the Baltimore City Public Schools System. He was an accomplished student in the CADD program at Mergenthaler High School in Baltimore, graduating on June 2, 2018. After graduating high school, Marcus decided to enlist in the United States Army. He attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning in Georgia, graduating December 6, 2018. He continued his military training completing Advanced Individual Training at Fort Gordon in Georgia, graduating April 10, 2019 as a Multichannel Transmission Systems Operator-Maintainer. After graduation, Marcus was assigned the Charlie Company of the 392nd Expeditionary Signal Battalion of the United States Army Reserves in Baltimore, Maryland working with communication systems. During his career, Marcus was awarded the national Defense Service Medal and the Army Service Ribbon. He was promoted to Private First Class (PFC) in August 2019. Prior to his passing, Marcus met all qualifications for promotion, and he was promoted to Specialist (SPC) on May 1, 2020.

To know Marcus was to love him, he had such an inviting soul. It did not matter what you needed or when you needed it, you could count on him. He was a man of few words but carried so much love in him. Gifted in art, Marcus showed us all, it was ok to be different and have standards. He showed us it is ok to express yourself in whatever way best represents who you are regardless of how the world sees it. And you were lucky enough to catch a smile from him, its sunday's touched your sound made you feel like everything was alright. He never wanted much and took nothing for granted. His selflessness extended pass his family and we will be forever grateful for him.

Gone too soon, but his memory will forever be honored and celebrated by his Mother, Portia Hayes, Stepfather, David Hayes; Brother, David (DJ) Hayes; Sisters, Portia DeShields and Julia Hayes; Grandfather, Bishop Wilbert L. Baltimore; Grandmother, Keta Steele; Aunts, Shelly, Carol, Angela, Valeria, Angel, and Keta; Uncles, James, Ray, John, Jeffery, Gregory, Eric and Darrel, Great-Aunts, Karen, Beverly, Pam, Adrian, Noreen, Ella, Janice, and Stacy; Great-Uncles David, Kevin, Thomas, Ricky; God-Parents AK3 Jeneene Anderson, Ret. US Navy and Melanie Hall, God-Grandparent Pastor Eugene and Japonica Barnes and Darleen Richardson, his unit Charlie Company 392ESB USAR and a whole host of family and friends.