Lillian Rose Parra

      “Seeing is believing.” For many, those words simply represent a motto. But for Lillian Rose Parra, it summarized in every way who she was. She was modest, quiet and observant, taking in everything around her and always thinking before acting. She was a realist, someone who was efficient and practical in everything she did. She was a friendly person who truly cared about those around her.      Lillian was born on August 8, 1925 in Portland, Oregon. She was the daughter of Nicolas and Rosalie Brill. Raised in Portland, Oregon, she was brought up to be tolerant and trustworthy. As a child, she learned to be conscientious, responsible and punctual. These were all traits that she would carry with her throughout her life.      As a young girl, Lillian was always aware of how others around her felt and this quality served her well. With a deep capacity to tolerate the feelings of others, Lillian was generally able to avoid conflicts. It seemed as if Lillian was the family member who was always working to keep stress at bay. Preferring a quiet environment where she could concentrate, Lillian also had the ability to relate well with her family and friends. Lillian was raised with seven siblings. She had four brothers, Vic, Ed and Ted Weitzel, and Walt Neupert, and three sisters, Nita, Irene and Jeannette Neupert. Lillian was constantly involved in activities with her family. Lillian and her siblings had the typical rivalries while growing up but they deeply cared for each other and shared many life experiences over the years.      Growing up, Lillian was one of those children who didn’t need to be in the center of a whirlwind of activity. She was content to entertain herself. Lillian was never pushy when it came to games and other activities, but rather, she was able to enjoy the pure fun these could bring. In just about everything she did as a child, Lillian was intent on pleasing both the adults and the other children around her. Lillian took part in a number of activities as a child. She took part in tennis and bowling.      Lillian enjoyed learning. She always had a great memory and was particularly skilled at retaining factual information. Lillian was generally quiet in class, learning best through observation. She often showed great concentration and was competent at completing the tasks at hand. Good with details, Lillian was painstaking and accurate in her efforts. All of these talents culminated in a successful high school career. She graduated from Parkrose High School in 1942. Lillian enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite subjects and teachers. Lillian was the Valedictorian (second in line).      Most folks would say that Lillian was shy until they got to know her. Those who were privileged to know her well learned that she was a solid, good friend. Lillian was reluctant to generalize about people, and she based her friendships on her personal experiences. Because of this, Lillian best trusted those people that she truly knew. She was concerned about how those around her felt, and she always seemed to uncover the positive side of people. She could relate to others and had the ability to see their point of view, to “walk a mile in their shoes,” as the saying goes. The friends that she made, Lillian kept. While growing up, some of her best friends were Bonnie Fox and MAry Arjavac. Later in life, she became friends with Jean Weimer, Leslie Tucker and Bart Oliphant.      Love can’t be defined but must be experienced. That was so true for Lillian. On February 14, 1958 Lillian married Frank Parra at the County Couthouse of Seattle, Washington. She was totally committed to Frank and maintained traditional ideals about marriage. It was as if Lillian naturally sensed her spouse’s needs, and accepted those feelings unconditionally. Although Lillian disliked conflict, she did not take flight from discord, but rather sought to preserve harmony even during the most trying times.      Lillian was a good mother to her children. She had “old fashioned” parental values and could handle typical family conflicts in a fair and calm manner. Because she trusted emotions, Lillian was reluctant to force issues and used gentle persuasion to resolve situations. In this way she seemed to radiate an aura of warmth and caring to those around her, always thinking before acting. In addition, Lillian was a master planner. No matter how hectic life around her might be, she seemed to know and track everyone’s schedule. Lillian was blessed with three children, Pam, Tony and Baba. They were also blessed with two grandchildren, Jenna and Lindiee.      If you gave Lillian a deadline, she would meet it. At work, Lillian was always on task. Without hesitation, Lillian could adhere to any assignment and see it through to its completion. Her primary occupation was Accounting Manager. She was employed for 32 years by the San Diego Opera. During that time, Lillian excelled in working with small groups in order to complete assignments. She was able to quickly grasp concrete ideas and could organize and plan the best way to accomplish things with remarkable consistency. Lillian was good at staying on track and was considerate in listening to what others had to say. In this way, Lillian had at true gift for being able to come up with practical resolutions to difficult problems. She was often the team member who managed to put forth a win/win solution for all parties.      Lillian liked to experience things first hand, in addition to simply learning about them. This quality influenced Lillian's choice of leisure time activities. A methodical and patient worker, Lillian preferred to set aside uninterrupted time to work on her hobbies. Her favorite pursuits were reading and word search. Lillian was content to sit quietly alone, enjoying her hobbies all by herself and could often be found just reading about her favorite pastimes.      While thorough and measured in her approach to things, Lillian often liked to physically do things rather than just think about them. She was like that with sports. Recreational sports included tennis and bowling. She also enjoyed the statistical data and the facts behind the sports. In this way, she was something of a sports fan and enjoyed watching her favorite teams whenever she got the opportunity. Tops on her list were Dancing with the Stars and football.      Due to her excellent organizational skills, Lillian was a welcome addition to the professional and community organizations to which she belonged. Lillian could bring established, successful methods to the discussion table, along with a generous helping of common sense. Lillian was good at making and keeping schedules and never got bogged down in unnecessary details. Throughout her later years, Lillian was an active member of the San Diego Zoological Socitey and the Smithsonian Institute.      Anyone who traveled or went on vacation with Lillian had smooth sailing. It was often taken for granted that she was the trip planner. She would start early and examine all of the possibilities, selecting the best and most effective options. Favorite vacations included Disneyland, Walt Disney World, Seattle and, most recently, Portland, Oregon (08/09) and New Orleans (10/09).       Her family was rounded out by her various pets over the years. Lillian was as loyal to her pets as they were to her.      When Lillian's retirement finally arrived in July 2009, she was well prepared. She had taken the time to learn about her various options and chose her course wisely. Even in retirement, Lillian continued to stay in touch with her old friends while making plenty of new acquaintances. She was active in the community and felt fulfilled with the opportunities retirement offered her.      Lillian passed away on December 3, 2009 at home in her bed in San Diego, California, surrounded by her three children. She is survived by her children Pam, Tony and "Baba"; her grandchildren Jenna and Lindiee; and her sister Jeannette. Services were held at The Little Chapel of the Roses.      It is said that some people can’t see the forest for the trees. Lillian was able to focus on each individual tree, tending to its needs, thus making the forest stronger as a whole. Lillian was a trustworthy, pragmatic and sympathetic person, the kind of woman to whom everyone was drawn. She was thorough and practical. Lillian Parra was very literal with her words. You always knew where you stood with Lillian. She will be missed.