Mary Lillian Harvill Parnell

It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we mourn the passing of Mary Lillian Harvill Parnell. She passed away in her sleep early in the morning on Friday, June 6, 2025, at the age of 59. Mary bravely fought and consistently beat the odds of her cancer diagnosis and lived her life with a passion that her family members and friends will carry with them throughout their lives. She was a kind friend, loving spouse, and caring mother who would do everything she could for the ones she loved.

Mary was born October 27, 1965, in Birmingham, Alabama and raised in Mountain Brook, Alabama. She attended Auburn University and went on to earn her Juris Doctor from Cumberland School of Law in 1992. She married her first husband and father to her children, Kenslo Thompson, in 1987. Mary practiced law in Birmingham with Gorham, Waldrep, Stewart, and Kendrick. In 1997 her first son, Reese, was born and in 1999 her second son, Justin, was born. She was a devoted mother who was a shining beacon in her sons’ lives. She was active in serving her community as a member of the Ballet Guild of Birmingham, the Junior League of Birmingham, a former director on the Old Firehouse Shelter board of directors, and a member of the Governor’s Commission on Environmental Initiatives from 1993-1994. She later married Mark Parnell in May of 2020, who she loved deeply. Later in her career she opened her own practice, Parnell Thompson, in Mountain Brook with her husband Mark. During her legal career she earned success and praise from those in her field. She was Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rated attorney, named as one of the top women attorneys by bmetro Magazine from 2015-2016, named as a top attorney by bmetro from 2016-2017, and listed as a lawyer of distinction in 2017 for employment law. Mary was active in the legal community as a member of the Natural Resources, Energy and Environmental Law Section of the American Bar Association, a member of the Labor and Employment Section of the Alabama State Bar, a member of the Birmingham Bar’s Solo and Small Firm Section; Collaborative Practice Committee, a member of the American Water Works Association, and on the Board of Editors for the Alabama Lawyer.

Mary was preceded in her death by her parents James C. Harvill and Lillian Sibley Heidt Harvill. She is survived by her husband of five years Mark Parnell; her children Reese Hastings Thompson and Justin Powell Thompson; their father Cornelius Kenslo Thompson; her stepchildren Stephanie Parnell and Nicholas Parnell; and her sister Rosa McGehee and her husband Edward McGehee. The family would also like to express a deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Allen L. Yeilding and his staff for the excellent care, compassion, and treatment provided to Mary during her battle with cancer. She will live on through her family and friends and be deeply missed.

A private service for friends and family will be held on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at Ridout’s Valley Chapel with a visitation from 9:00-11:00AM and a service held from 11:00-12:00PM. A burial will follow at Elmwood Cemetery.