Angie K. Parr, M.D.

Angelica “Angie” Brigitte Kuenast Parr, M.D., passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday, April 12th, 2019 after a long battle with autoimmune disease. Even with her illness, Angie lived a life full of vibrant love for God, her family, medical patients, and students.

Angie was born on August 18, 1959 in Galveston, Texas, the second of three children to German physicians, Werner and Inge Kuenast. Angie and her brothers, Walter and Raymund, grew up in a house dedicated to music, scholarship, and a love of God and country, as her parents became American citizens in 1962. In addition to her church and scholastic endeavors, her childhood was filled with family music recitals and horseback riding as well as outdoor sports, trips to Germany to visit family, and many sibling shenanigans with her brothers. In 1977, Angie graduated from Anderson High School in Austin, Texas, and accepted entry into the University of Texas at Austin.

While at UT, Angie met her best friend and future husband, Rusty, at a country western venue, where she asked him the immortal question, “Don’t you dance?” The pair began dating in 1981, and were married on June 30, 1984 at St. Martin Lutheran Church in Austin. The two overcame many difficulties during their early years together, frequently living and working in different cities due to work and school. In 1985, the two settled down in Dallas. Five years later, in 1990, Angie and Rusty joyously welcomed their son, Matthew, into the world and rejoiced again in 1992 when their daughter Kristine was born. Finally, in 1993 Angie and Rusty moved back to Austin, where they settled down and raised their children with close family nearby.

After graduating with highest honors from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981, Angie followed in her parents’ medical footsteps, attending medical school at University of Texas Southwestern in Dallas, Texas in 1985, graduating in the top quarter of her class. She completed her pediatric residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital and the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas from 1986-1988, and was named chief resident in 1989. This began Angie’s medical career of nearly thirty years in the field of pediatrics. She was a proud member of the Travis County Medical Society, the Texas Medical Association, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. She worked in hospitals, emergency rooms, private practices, local clinics, and wherever else she was best able to treat and care for children and their families. Especially in her own practice, she went to extraordinary lengths to provide care to her patients, no matter their fiscal means or insurance coverage. She frequently set up extended payment plans, gave free medical samples, and waived fees to ensure all of the children under her care received the medical attention they needed.

Angie was a fervent believer in the transformative power of education, for both children and adults, working hard to ensure every student received the attention and instruction that was best fitted to them. Angie began her practice of teaching when she was named chief resident at the Children’s Medical Center of Dallas, where she taught incoming residents about the basics of pediatric care. As she progressed in her career she continued to organize and lead lectures on pediatric asthma and allergy for other medical professionals. In 2001, she began guest teaching in science and biology at her children’s school, and went on to lead the school’s extracurricular academic competition program until 2006.

Throughout her entire life Angie followed the path of the Lord, and actively sought to be involved with her congregation. In 1995, shortly after returning to Austin, Angie and her family followed her childhood youth pastor, Carl Schoss, to a small mission church in North Austin called Lord of Life. There, Angie’s relationship to God and her church family continued to blossom, and she shared the love of God by participating in the adult choir, leading the youth choir, and acting as director for the church’s Vacation Bible School. She had a deeply personal relationship with the Lord, and frequently turned to scripture for comfort and support for her and all her loved ones. Angie spread the Gospel both by sharing her faith and by giving her love to those around her.

Angie is preceded in death by her parents, Werner and Inge Kuenast, and by her father-in-law, H.C. Parr Jr. She is survived by her devoted husband Rusty, her beloved daughter Kristine, her proud son and future daughter-in-law, Matt and Cheri’, and her dear mother-in-law, Marjorie “JoJo” Parr. She is also survived by her two brothers and their wives: Walter and Marcia Kuenast, and Raymund and Beverly Kuenast; her sister-in-law and her husband Lynn Lyons-Konze and Stephen Konze; and her twelve nieces and nephews.

The Parr family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to Randi Swede, Angie’s caregiver, and also to the incredible doctors, nurses, and staff at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center, Cornerstone Hospital of Austin, Hospice Austin’s Christopher House, and all the other medical facilities that helped Angie along her journey.

The family will have a viewing on Friday, April 19th, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cook-Walden/Capital Parks Funeral Home, 14501 North Interstate 35, Pflugerville, Texas 78660. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 20th, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 9700 Neenah Avenue, Austin, Texas 78717.

As Angie was a vibrant, joyous person full of love, the family has requested those attending the viewing or the memorial service to wear favorite colors of blues, purples and corals, as opposed to traditional black mourning attire.