Janice Gayle Parsons

Janice Gayle Parsons, age 51, an artist from Houston, passed away peacefully on the 7th of December 2011. She battled reflex sympathetic dystrophy & complex regional pain syndrome (RSD/CRPS) for over four years.

Janice was born on the 10th November 1960, in British Columbia, Canada, and spent a happy childhood travelling with her family and living in Algeria, England, Australia, western Canada, and Libya. She earned a Bachelor of Arts from Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, and later studied art at the Art Institute of Houston. Prior to college, she attended the Marymount School in London, England, and Neuchatel Junior College in Neuchatel, Switzerland. She was foremost a muralist. Her work graces homes, clubs, salons, and restaurants in Houston and across the country. She created the murals at La Griglia and the Grotto restaurants, as well as "The Final Move" at BMC Software's headquarters in Houston. The Final Move used wildlife to illustrate the moment a computer, "Big Blue," defeated Gary Kasparov in their famous 1997 chess match. In addition to being her largest and favorite work, it captured both her mathematical precision and love of animals. Many of her paintings can be found on her web page www.wall-mural.com.

Janice is survived by her mother and father, Gail and Malcolm Parsons; sister, Allison Parsons; brother, Andrew, his wife Katherine and their three children, Isabel, Graham and Gordon Parsons; and her long time friend and companion, Jim Flanagan, all of Houston. Always fun loving and irreverent, her mischievous attitude and sense of humor will be sorely missed.

Friends are cordially invited to gather with the family and share remembrances of Janice from ten o’clock in the morning until noon on Saturday, the 17th of December, in the Drawing Room of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons, 1010 Bering Drive in Houston.

In lieu of customary remembrances, kindly consider a donation in Janice’s name to either The International Research Foundation for RSD/CRPS, 1910 East Busch Blvd., Tampa, FL, 33612; or to the Houston Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 900 Portway Dr., Houston, TX, 77024-8022.