Linda Lou Parashos

Linda was raised in Klamath Falls with her sister Sally by parents Howard and Margaret Hanville. From a very young age of 4 she began to study piano and cello. By age 14 she was playing weddings and funerals at a few different denominational churches, notably St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

She often reminisced of her childhood road trips with her family to Portland to go shopping for school clothes, sheet music, and to visit relatives. Many times, a trip to Portland was merely a pit stop on the way to the Oregon coast for a relaxing family vacation. A few times Linda, sister, and mom were able to visit the grandparents in Montana via trip by car or train.

Growing up she worked at her families dry cleaning business while earning honor roll grades. She put down music to attend Linfield School of Nursing in 1965, afterward signing on to a 40-year career in the operating room. She returned to school in her 50’s to earn a master's degree in nursing law and consulting, a move which allowed her to advance her career as an education coordinator for operating room nurses at Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital.

Upon retirement, Linda spent many hours working as a volunteer for a number of City of Gresham programs where she earned the City’s Citizen Volunteer of the Month in 2017. This was nothing new for her as she had been highly proactive in son John’s upbringing as a volunteer room mother, chaperone, board member, and athletic commission volunteer.

Linda enjoyed vacationing in various ways such as RV camping in parts of Oregon and California, and weeklong river trips in Idaho or Colorado. She and her husband also enjoyed sightseeing road trips to places such as the Grand Canyon and New Mexico, among others.

She enjoyed Portland Trailblazer season tickets for a few years and loved to tune into college and pro football. In her 30’s, she was skilled in water skiing, and she almost earned a perfect 4.0 grade average at MHCC in automotive and small engine repair.

Linda is survived by son John and sister Sally, and also by extended family. She will not be forgotten, a remarkable person who lived out a tremendous journey. She is loved truly and will be missed. Rest in peace Linda Lou Parashos.

A memorial service is planned for July 11 at 11a at Bateman Carroll Funeral Home located at 520 W Powell Blvd in Gresham. Friends, family, and community members are welcome to attend in honor of Linda’s memory. A light gathering with refreshments will follow the service.