James A Parsons

James Arnold Parsons, 78, of Gahanna, Ohio, died on August 31, 2020. He was born on August 27, 1942 in Gallipolis, Ohio. He was adopted at a young age and raised by Ira "Grail" and Flora Parsons on a small farm near West Jefferson, outside of Columbus. Growing up, he worked with his father on the farm and at the family's auto sales and repair business in Plain City.

Jim, or "JP" as he was known to his friends, was a star athlete, earning 12 varsity letters in football, baseball, and basketball for the West Jefferson Roughriders. Years later, he had one of his proudest moments when his children and loved ones saw him inducted into the West Jefferson High School Athletic Hall of Fame. He went on to play basketball for Capital University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1963. In 1965, he married Joan (Lorenz) Parsons, whom he had known since childhood and together they shared a marriage of 33 years. After graduating from college, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, completing Officer Training School in Waco, Texas then serving on various bases in Sacramento and Merced, California, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. He served in Vietnam as a Captain on the B-52 Stratofortress bomber and remained a licensed pilot for the remainder of his life. He loved his country and was a true patriot.

Following his military service, he and Joan returned to the Columbus area, built a home in Upper Arlington, and raised three boys. He earned a Master of Business Administration from Central Michigan University and enjoyed a long and successful career as a physician recruiter with many of the same core group of colleagues for over 30 years - finally retiring for good at the end of 2017. He was a wonderful and loving father who was deeply involved in his sons' activities. He got to see his oldest son, Tim, dot the "i" in Script Ohio, graduate from The Ohio State University, earn two Masters' degrees in divinity and family counseling and become the Assistant Dean of Students at Miami University; his middle son, Chris, excel in high school and college soccer, graduate from Kenyon College and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and become an award-winning medical researcher and infectious disease physician; and his youngest son, Ben, play on the Upper Arlington golf team, earn the Eagle Scout rank, graduate from Miami University and The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law and have a successful career in law and business. In his later years, 10 grandchildren, presently ranging in age from 9 to 24, were his greatest joy. He never missed a game, graduation, or activity that he was able to attend. Earlier this year, he was thrilled beyond words to welcome his first great-grandchild.

In the 1990's, Jim reconnected with his birth siblings and remained very close with his sister, Joanne, and their extended family in West Virginia, until his death. In 2003, he began dating his long-time love and life partner, Norma Selders. For many years, he and Norma engaged in innumerable adventures - flying his plane, camping and fishing on their boat on Alum Creek and Lake Erie and driving their RV's and motorcycles all over the country to visit national parks and out-of-state friends and family…just to name a few. Most importantly, they helped raise each other's grandchildren as if they were their own and loved them, and each other, dearly. Jim loved animals and wildlife, the mountains of West Virginia and Appalachia, the beauty of Lake Erie, the wide-open spaces of the American West (he had a deep appreciation of Native American culture), and simply watching the buffalo roam at Custer State Park in South Dakota, to which he and Norma made many trips. His generosity of spirit was un-matched, and no one could make people laugh as he could. Stories of his humor and antics will continue to be told by his loved ones for many years. He was beloved by his family, his many, many friends, and all of those who were privileged to know him. He will be so missed.

Survivors include his life partner, Norma Selders, Gahanna, Ohio; his children, Timothy (Melissa) Parsons, Kettering, Ohio; Christopher (Carin) Parsons, Hendersonville, North Carolina; Benjamin (Laura) Parsons, Dublin, Ohio; Chip Selders, Akron, Ohio; Tad Selders, Chicago, Illinois; Andi (Mark) Swelstad, Gahanna, Ohio; his grandchildren, Zoe (Parsons) Potter, Caleb Parsons, Jared Parsons, Eveline Parsons, Truman Parsons, Adam Parsons, Caden Parsons, Elena Parsons, Jonathan Swelstad and Amanda Swelstad; his great-granddaughter, Elowin Potter; his sister, Joanne Francis, Elizabeth, West Virginia; and many nieces and nephews and extended family in Ohio and West Virginia. He was preceded in death by his adoptive parents and his birth brother, Noal Gene "Cowboy" Jarvis.

In accordance with Jim's wishes, he will be cremated, and no viewing will be held. A private memorial service will be held to celebrate his life. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project, www.woundedwarriorproject.org, Columbus Humane, www.columbushumane.org, or The National Kidney Foundation, www.kidney.org.