Grace Parrish

Grace Irene Winter Parrish was born in Everett, Massachusetts, a community near Boston, to her beloved Swedish mother Ida Marie Nilsson Winter (Nana) and Charles Sumner Winter. She moved to Los Angeles, California as a skater for the Ice Capades in the late 1930s. In LA, she was friends with composer Hoagy Carmichael (Stardust, Georgia on My Mind, Skylark), who hosted many late-night jam sessions.

While in LA, Grace met and married her first husband John Matthew Farrell, a dashing military pilot. Their daughter, Joanne Marie, was born in LA. After John Farrell’s untimely death in 1944. Grace and baby Joanne moved back home to the Boston area to live with Nana. Grace took a job at the famous Statler Hotel where she became the night manager. There she met and married the former decorated soldier and then engineer and Harvard MBA grad, Joseph Lamar Parrish, originally from Bristol VA. In connection with Joe’s job with Tennessee Gas Pipeline, they moved several times, living in Massachusetts, Canada and Texas. Grace and Joe were married for 60 wonderful years, during which 3 sons, Jody, Bill and Chuck, joined the family with Joanne. Grace was a huge supporter of Joe in his business and traveled extensively with him throughout the US and around the world, hosting many events for Joe’s business colleagues. Grace also did work as an interior designer and her homes were always showcases. After retirement, they had homes in Houston and in Naples, Florida before moving to Austin in 1998.

Family was everything to Grace, and is her true legacy. She is survived by her 4 children, 13 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchildren, including her daughter, Joanne Flynn and her children Kristine Aldridge m. John Alexander (Thomas, Jack, Matthew and Abby); Michael Flynn, Suzanne Flynn m. Greg McEldowney (Flynn and Boone); John Flynn m. Dana Flynn (Harper and Hayden); son, Joseph Lamar Parrish III m. Jean Banks and children Joseph Lamar Parrish IV, James McCall m. Tiffany Holomon (Landyn Grace); son, William Morrison Parrish m. Margaret McCrate and their children Will, Katherine, Caroline, Mary Margaret and Anna Christine; and son, Charles Sumner Parrish m. Anne Thatcher and their children Cecile and Charles Gray. During husband Joe’s illness prior to his passing in 2010, she was his constant companion at the hospital and in skilled nursing. Her love for him set a wonderful example for her entire family.

The family wishes to give special thanks to the staff at the Querencia Skilled Nursing facility for their loving and tender care for Grace during her final weeks.

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Wounded Warriors Project or to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital would be appreciated.

Living to see her 101st birthday on Jan 1, 2020, Grace lived a full and long life and was the Grande Dame of her family. She truly lived up to her name, Grace.

Her remains will be placed alongside Joe’s in a private ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery.