Richard Morris Parrish

Richard (Dick) Morris Parrish was born in Louisville, Kentucky, to Richard Haskell (Hack) Parrish and Reta Marie Beard Parrish on July 6, 1923. He studied mechanical engineering at J. B. Speed School of Engineering at the University of Louisville but enlisted in the Army during World War II when he was a few courses from completing his degree. He was stationed in Oregon with an Army engineering unit, working on floating bridges for the European campaign, and he took courses at Oregon State College in Corvallis, Oregon. While there met his future wife, Virginia (Ginny) Ethel Clare. The war ended while he was on a ship headed for Japan, so he spent the remainder of his tour in the Philippines and in Japan before returning to Corvallis to marry Ginny and finish his degree He was hired as a sales engineer for SKF Industries, a bearing manufacturer, first working in Portland, Oregon, then in Seattle, Washington, and finally in Los Angeles, California, where he and Ginny settled in Burbank and raised three children. He worked for several years doing sales and engineering for several specialty bearing firms before returning to SKF to finish his career. Retirement offered opportunities to do consulting on a variety of engineering projects. One of his favorites was his work on the telescopes of the Keck Observatory, at Maunakea, Hawaii.

His Christian faith was central to his life. He and Ginny were involved in a variety of ways at Magnolia Presbyterian Church in Seattle, First Presbyterian Church in Burbank, and Solana Beach Presbyterian Church. He and Ginny lead the high school group at the Burbank church for 25 years and college group for 4. They continued volunteering into their 90s with food distribution, Kids Games, Gleanings, Come Build Hope, and more. During all these years, they hosted family gatherings, nurtured their grandchildren and many other young people, and shared generously all they had with others. Dick’s engineering skills and great imagination led him to design and produce memorable Vacation Bible School craft projects for years, including parts for building periscopes, kaleidoscope kits, and many more. His natural curiosity and professional experience led to a depth of knowledge about space exploration and telescopes, an interest in dams and wind turbines, experimentation with building solar ovens, and more. He enjoyed fishing and was an avid reader. He loved his family of 3 children, 9 granddaughters, 20 great-grandchildren, and their spouses, and enjoyed nothing more than being with them. He loved being the host, working behind the scenes to meet everyone’s needs.

Dick was preceded in death by his wife, Ginny, his sisters, Reta Slider and Dellene Montgomery, and his great-grandson Elisha Felker. He is deeply missed by his children, Connie and John Illian, Karen and Chick Rapport, Scott and Peggy (Rhodes) Parrish; his grandchildren Debby and Steve Leavitt, Jennifer and Dorian Espinoza, Katherine and Jeremy Nunn, Beverly and David Strong, Kahanah and Matt Swift, Havah and Tim Felker, Tobreah and Zack Richardson, Emily and Daniel Corona, and Robin Parrish and Coulson Richards; his 20 great-grandchildren, Cohen, Kirah, Elliott, Zeke, Logan, Riley, Hailey, Levi, Tyler, Elijah, DD, Caleb, Laniyah, Judah, Raul, Micah, JR, Klarah, Lali, and Anna; and close family friend Carol Carr. He is remembered for his intelligence, curiosity, knowledge, hospitality, kindness, faithfulness, humility, generosity, and unconditional love—and as “The Nicest Man in the World.”