Richard G. Parsons

Mashpee Richard G. Parson, of Mashpee, formerly of Braintree, died at home on Wednesday, August 20, 2008. He leaves his wife of 47 years, Frances (Kopka) Parsons, a daughter, Joan Parsons Ziady, and her husband, Craig, of Winchester, two sons, Richard and his wife, Marytheresa, of Marshfield, and Robert, and his wife, Gail, of Braintree, and eleven grandchildren. He is also survived by a sister, Mary Parsons, of Jamaica Plain, and a brother, George Parsons, of Richmond, Virginia. Mr. Parsons earned both a BA and an MA in Classics from Boston College. He served in the US Army during the Korean War, after which he enjoyed a teaching career of 32 years, specializing in Latin language and culture. Over the years, he taught at Abington High School, Randolph High School, Catholic Memorial High School, and Taunton High School, where he was Coordinator of Foreign Languages. An avid baseball fan, "Dick" loved coaching his high school athletes. Active in Braintree town politics, he was a Town Meeting member for 24 years and a Planning Board member for 18 years, chairman for 16 of them. Finally, he served as Executive Director of Braintrees Water and Sewer Board for 2 1/2 years. Visiting hours will be held at the Chapman, Cole, and Gleason Funeral Home, 74 Algonquin Ave. (Route 151) Mashpee, on Sunday, August 24, 2008 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Monday, August 25, 2008 at 10:00 a.m, at Christ the King Church in Mashpee, followed by burial in the Great Neck South Cemetery, Great Neck Road South, Mashpee. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dick's memory may be made to Hospice and Palliative Care of Cape Cod, 765 Attucks Lane, Hyannis, MA 02601 or to St. Vincent DePaul Society, Christ the King Parish, PO Box 1800, Mashpee, MA 02649. For online guestbook, directions & obituary please visit www.ccgfuneralhome.com