Willis Parrish, 79, of Iola died Wednesday, May 25, 2011, at Allen County Hospital in Iola.
He was born July 7, 1931, in Neosho, Mo., to Roley and Marguarite (Stalker) Parrish. He grew up in Neosho Falls, where he graduated from high school.
Parrish joined the U.S. Navy and served four years before returning to Neosho Falls where he farmed and drove a truck for Bruenger Truck Line of Wichita, Cyrus Truck Line in Iola and Navajo Freight Line in Kansas City, before managing Iola Milling Company. He retired as a driver for Ruan. After his retirement, he enjoyed gardening and restoring and repairing tractors. In his younger years, he enjoyed hunting and fishing.
His memberships include First Christian Church in Iola, Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion.
In 1952, he married Caryl Beth Saferite. They had three children and later divorced.
He then married Patricia (Sailsbury) Morin in 2002.
He is survived by his wife of the home; two daughters, Glenda Pargman and her husband, Kevin, Iola, and Sandy Keating and her husband, John, Olathe; two stepdaughters, Michelle Bigelow and her husband, Bill, Moran, and Connie Hendricks, El Dorado; a daughter-in-law, Teresa Parrish, Iola; a sister-in-law, Shirley Parrish, Moore, Okla., and nine grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by a son, Willis Daniel “Danny” in 2004, three sisters, Opal, Edna and Grace, and two brothers, Harvey and Wayne.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel in Iola. Chaplain Lloyd W. Houk will officiate. Burial will be in Logue Cemetery east of Le Roy.
Memorials to First Christian Church may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.
Willis Parrish
