Mary Sue Parsons

She was born February 11, 1935 in Macon, Missouri to Lloyd Marcus and Edna Mae (Stroppel) Leist.

Sue was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Clarence E Parsons. Sue is survived by six nieces and nephews: Marc Parsons, Paul Parsons, Sylvie Parsons, Kimberly Parsons Yetter, Stephen D Parsons, and Pam Parsons Miller. She is also survived by several dear cousins and her beloved soul sister, Beverly Hammett.

Sue attended Macon High School in Macon, Missouri where she was a four-year letterman in basketball, a drum major in the marching band, and the 1953 yearbook queen. That same year, Sue won “Miss Perfect 36”, a multi-state competition to promote the use of U.S. Highway 36. Upon graduation, she attended the Kansas City Art Institute on scholarship.

Sue’s career spanned 30 years at Hallmark Cards and Hall’s Department Store. As personality Kaye King, Sue became a member of the American Women in Radio and Television (AWR) while representing Hallmark Cards on television and radio, as well as calling on Hallmark dealers throughout the country. At Hall’s, she served as a buyer for the downtown and Country Club Plaza stores, then a merchandise manager for Home Furnishings, and finally the director of Hall’s national mail order catalog and upscale home furnishings and fashion catalog.

The Parsons were long-standing members of the Mission Hills Country Club. Upon her retirement in 1987, Sue returned to her first love, painting, in Taos, New Mexico where she and Clarence enjoyed their condo in the mountains for many years.

A private celebration of life for Sue and Clarence will be held later this year in Taos.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to one of Sue’s many favorite charities: Children’s Mercy Hospital (2401 Gillham Rd, KC MO 64108); Wayside Waifs (3901 Martha Truman Rd, KC MO 64137); Guiding Eyes for the Blind (611 Granite Springs Rd, Yorktown Heights, NY 10598)