On Thursday, March 12, 2015, a very special man of God departed this earth for his Heavenly Reward. He always said, “If I ever leave you, it will only be to play left to Mickey Mantle’s center in Heaven, just in time for spring training!”
On March 12, Charles Edward Parrish fulfilled that prophesy. Since becoming a 2012 survivor of West Nile Virus, life became a challenge that he faced each day, but with no complaints. Charlie loved life, the Lord, his wife, Carol, his children, music and baseball. Since having to spend more time inside, his baseball channel provided him with many happy hours.
Charles Edward Parrish was born, October 6, 1941 to the late Samuel Lesser and Mary Louise Browne Parrish, in the Naval Hospital in Norfolk, VA just two months before Pearl Harbor, an event that would change the course of history and produce “The Greatest Generation” of American Heroes, of which his father and grandfathers were a part. Charlie had a special regard for these special people.
After spending formative years in Mississippi with his grandmother, Mrs. G.L. Browne and aunt, Beege, he went to live with his mother and stepfather, Mr. and Mrs. Ted J. Wieczorek, in many cities in the Midwest until they settled in Covington, KY where he attended one school Dixie Heights High School for all of high school. Happy days were spent in his Park Hills neighborhood where baseball was his afternoon pastime at the park near his house, and music from the jukebox at the pavilion were enjoyed by all. Baseball and music remained lifetime favorites.
College was spent at Cincinnati, Mississippi College, and graduation from University of Southern Mississippi. His career in sales took him to Pennsylvania, west to California, traveling the eight western states and finally back to Mississippi in 1976.
In 1978, Charlie met Carol, a learning disabilities teacher, on a blind date at the suggestion of a church friend. It was love at first sight for both but the next day she left for a month’s vacation in Hawaii and WY with her mom. Charlie changed his vacation to start the day Carol returned. (Most dates were ‘generational’ family events including his grandmother, his daughter, Michele and Carol’s mother.) After their 13th date, Charlie proposed and Carol accepted! They exchanged sentimental cards every day for their first year. On October 5, 1978, they were happily married by Rev. David Ray at Central Presbyterian Church in Jackson, MS. For 36 ½ years she told him, “You are my whole world, Big Bear” to which he replied, “And you are my whole life, Sugar Bear!” He never failed to tell her every day, how much he appreciated and loved her.
Charlie loved people and his customers felt it in the personal interest that he showed in fulfilling all their needs. Charlie introduced the first plastic two-liter soft drink bottle in the state of Mississippi, while being the only outside salesman for Sewell Plastics. He retired from Tri-State Mack where his sales prowess won several wonderful trips.
Charlie loved the Lord and lived his faith each day. For 25 years, he and his wife Carol enjoyed teaching Sunday school ages 4 to Jr. High at Central Presbyterian, Broadmoor Baptist, First Baptist, and Briarwood Presbyterian churches. He served as Deacon and Elder, and loved coaching softball in the summer church leagues at Broadmoor.
He is preceded in death by his beloved grandmother, Mrs. G.L. Browne; mother, Mary Louise (Lee) Wieczorek; step-father, Ted J. Wieczorek; father and step-mother, Samuel Lesser and Ruby Parrish. He leaves the following loved ones with wonderful memories: his wife of 36 years, Carol Ann Sylar Parrish; three children, Samuel Scott Parrish and wife Kate Orsini, Charles Ellis Parrish, and Michele Leigh Parrish and husband Ben Smith; grandchildren, Liam and Sean McKnight, Peter and Carrie Smith; aunt, Mrs. Beege Ford; sister, Mary Lucile Harris and husband Joe; numerous extended family, and childhood neighbor and best friends, John Marlin Buckley and Shane Rushing.
Charlie’s rich sense of humor will be greatly misses by all who knew him as well as his wonderful collection of stories and jokes that he readily shared. He loved leaving a smile on all he came in contact with. His love of all kinds of music will live on in those of us who shared our time here with him as there was rarely an hour of the day when Charlie did not have some song playing in his car on in our home. Charlie Parrish was truly a Gift from God, who made this place brighter just by being here.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Stewpot Ministries, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Wounded Warriors, or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.
Visitation will be held at Lakewood Funeral Home on Monday, March 16, 2015 from 4-7 PM. Funeral services will be held at Briarwood Presbyterian Church on Tuesday at 2:00 PM with visitation beginning at 12:30 PM. Interment will follow at Lakewood Memorial Park, Clinton Blvd.
Please visit lakewoodfuneralhomes.com for online guestbook.
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