Ms. Robbie Joyce Burton Parish

Robbie was born on the farm near Penelope, Tx on December 10, 1927. "It was a snowy morning and her father Chester, having no phones, drove the 1925 crank start Ford to West, Tx to get Dr. Gidney."

She attended public school in Abbott, Tx and secondary school at Midwestern University in Wichita Falls, Tx earning both a Nursing degree and a Bachelor's degree in Applied Arts and Sciences. She joyously worked at Bethania Hospital first as a Registered Nurse and later as an instructor for Bethania's School of Nursing.

As noted by son, Randall Parish, "Mom became an excellent homemaker and housewife and followed in her mother's footsteps of cooking from scratch and making clothes by hand. She would bake cookies you could smell down the street. We'd come running and there was no better smell than standing on the front porch with the fresh baked cookie aroma slapping you in the face through the screen door. If we were at home when she baked, she would let us lick the bowl. We didn't worry about getting sick from the raw eggs as we had never heard of such a thing. Mom would make the best pot roast and gravy with mashed potatoes and fresh baked rolls. This was our Sunday staple and it was always delicious.

"Mom's focus was her kids. She served her husband and kids as though it was her mission on this planet. I remember nights when I could not sleep, and she would read me stories and rub my back until I fell asleep. She always made sure we had a bedtime snack or glass of water if we needed one.

"One day she decided to go back to work. She had wanted to be a nurse for years. Her Aunt Ellie had been a nurse and her grandmother had been a mid-wife. She had already worked for a doctor's office and had studied medical terminology. Continuing her housewife job, she entered nursing school at Midwestern University. She graduated with their first year of nurses. She aced the state board with a score of 96, the highest grade ever accomplished at that point, and became a Registered Nurse.

"She took a job at Bethania Hospital as a floor nurse for a while until she accepted a position as a teacher in Bethania's School of Nursing for LVNs. The school produced many nurses. I heard, 'Your mom was my favorite teacher,' or 'Your mom was a wonderful teacher,' from women I didn't know so much that I couldn't possibly recall how many times. She taught at Bethania with Peggy Jarret until the school was purchased by Vernon College's School of Nursing. While teaching at Vernon, she went back to Midwestern University and obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Applied Arts and Sciences. She continued to teach for Vernon until she retired."

She is preceded in death by husband, Charles Richard Parish; father, Robert Chester Burton; mother, Creola Estell McCaghren Burton; daughter, Elyssa Leigh Parish Hartley; brother, William Clinton Burton & wife, Mary Louise Randall Burton; sister, Doris Jeanette Burton Cleveland & husband, Ross Love Cleveland and brother, Billy Wayne Burton.

Robbie is survived by two sons Richard Burton Parish (married to Brenda) and Randall Keith Parish; son-in-law Jeff Hartley; sister Malinda Sue Burton Batton (married to Dr. Robert Batton) and sister-in-law Mary Nell Evans Burton. Robbie is also survived by many beloved grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews.

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A visitation will be held at J. E. Foust & Son, 523 S Main St., Grapevine, Tx, 76051 on Sunday May 10, 2020 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM.

A service will be held at J.E. Foust & Son at 523 S Main St., Grapevine, Tx, 76051 in Grapevine, Tx on Monday, May 11, 2020 scheduled to begin at 10:00 AM.

A graveside service will be held at Crestview Memorial Park at 1917 Archer City Hwy

Wichita Falls, Texas, 76302 on Monday, May 11, 2020 scheduled to begin at 2:00 PM.

Covid-19 considerations:

 100 persons allowed in the building (at the site) at one time.

 Please bring a mask if you have one available.

 You may remain in vehicle during graveside service.

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