William Bryan Parsons

His lifelong commitment to God, his family and his country began on July 22, 1922 in a humble tenant farmer's home in tidewater North Carolina near the small town of Ernul. Known to his family as William Bryan, Bill was the third in what would become a family of 12 children, of which 8 survived past childbirth and early infancy. As a youth Bill spent many a long hot day behind the family mule and plow. Helping his parents, the late Leonard Clifton Parson and Darah Ruma Salter, provide a subsistence living for their family during the Great Depression developed in him a work ethic and sense of responsibility that stayed with him for the rest of his life.

Of all his life's accomplishments, Bill was most proud of the service he gave his country during World War II. He enlisted in the US Navy in 1942, was commissioned as an Ensign and served as Executive Officer on an LCT (Landing Craft Tank) during the liberation of the Philippines, 1944-1946. While in the Philippines he met Lt. Frances Winifred Price, an Army Nurse from Maine. They were married in Manila in 1946, a marriage which lasted until Frances' succumbing to Alzheimer’s Disease in 2002. Upon returning to the states after the war, Bill graduated from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, North Carolina and Yale School of Public Health in New Haven, Connecticut. He was subsequently commissioned as an officer in the US Public Health Service, retiring in 1982 with the rank of Captain.

He loved boating and was active in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, rising to the rank of National Rear Commodore. He was also an avid motorhome traveler and with his first wife Frances traveled extensively throughout the US, including a 3-month tour of Alaska. Subsequent to Frances' passing, Bill met Jeanne Barron Hough through a hospice survivor's support group. They were married in September 2003 and shared nearly 10 years together until her passing in June 2013. During the last 5 years he lived at The Lodge at Old Trail in Crozet, Virginia and served as president of the Lodge’s resident’s association until January 2019. He was a member of University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Virginia.

In addition to his parents, his first wife, Frances, and late wife, Jeanne, Bill was preceded in death by his siblings Jasmine Virginia Parsons Embree, Preston Duane Parsons, Reba Elizabeth Parsons Phibbs and Martha Christine Parsons Holland.

Bill is survived by his son Bryan Duane Parsons, daughter-in-law Leslee Hostetter Parsons, brother James Clifton Parsons (Vicki), sister Ida Mae Parsons Gaskill, sister Josephine Anne Parsons Lewis (George), stepsons Williamson Thomas “Chip” Hough, Jr. (Anita) and Christopher Barron Hough. He has 6 step grandchildren: Sgt. Erik Ralph Lindquist (Carmen), Elise Katarina Lindquist, Evan Edward Lindquist, Hunter Hough, Heather Hough, and Parker Hough and 4 step great grandchildren. Additional Parsons family members include nieces Celia Parsons Melcher (Denny), Sharon Michelle Mazzucco (Teresa), Janet Kay Holland Broyles (Jack), Christine Parsons Jones (Larry), and nephews Preston Duane Parsons, Michael Perry Parsons, Daniel Holland (Kathleen), James Leonard Gaskill (Dawn), Ron Melnar (Julia), and Edfred McKee Gaskill, Jr.

The family will receive friends on Friday, Oct. 4, from 6-8pm, at Teague Funeral Service in Charlottesville. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 5, at 1:00 PM at University Baptist Church, 1223 West Main St., Charlottesville, VA. A graveside service with military honors will follow at 2:30 PM at Monticello Memory Gardens. A celebration of Bill's life will be held at a future time (to be announced) at The Lodge at Old Trail in Crozet.

A generous, loving, light-hearted and humble man, he will be dearly missed by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to The National WWII Museum, New Orleans, LA (www.nationalww2museum.org) to which he contributed generously. Bill was able to visit the museum for the first time with his son Bryan one month prior to his passing.