Daniel Franklin Parman

Daniel Franklin Parman, real-estate developer, banker, farm/ranch investor and dedicated philanthropist died at his San Antonio home on April 9. He was 81. Parman was born April 27, 1935, in Uvalde, Texas. He was graduated from Uvalde High School in 1953, where his classmates voted him "Most Likely to Succeed." After graduation from Texas A&I University in 1957, Parman served in the United States Air Force where he began his life-long love of planes. He was a licensed pilot who enjoyed flying his own plane and soaring in his sail plane. While planes and flying were two of his greatest interests, his pursuit of knowledge and dedication to science defined his life. Parman began both his real-estate development career and commitment to philanthropy in Uvalde where he developed one of the city's first subdivisions, setting aside a portion of land for a new high school and deeding it to the Uvalde Independent School District. In the 1970s, Parman and his family moved to San Antonio where he continued to develop real estate. In the 1980s, he purchased six ranches in far north central San Antonio for a master-planned community. Parman and his three partners worked with other investors in realizing their own visions for the new community. Their collective visions came to fruition in Stone Oak, which is one of the largest privately financed communities in the United States. Currently, Stone Oak has over 20,000 single-family homes, apartments, schools, churches, libraries, restaurants and retail stores. One of Parman's greatest gifts was his willingness to share his knowledge and resources with other real-estate developers/investors. He was famous for his extensive map and satellite photography collection, which he made available to everyone. As Parman's real-estate development and banking careers flourished, so did his philanthropy. The San Antonio Public Library Foundation, The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA) and many other educational institutions and non-profits all were recipients of his philanthropy. In addition to a house and land, which Parman gifted to UTHSCSA for a president's residence, Parman established and endowed a Chair in Medicine, to support research on Parkinson's disease, HIV/AIDs, leukemia and diabetes. His generosity also supports a multidisciplinary voice center and a Research Imaging Center. A pledge from Parman endowed a chair in applied mathematics at UTSA. When he made the gift, Parman said, "Mathematics is the foundation of all science and essential to our daily lives whether baking a pie or building a nuclear reactor." Parman served on various boards at both UTSA, UTHSCSA, and the UTHSCSA School of Nursing, giving of his time and his business acumen as well as his monetary gifts. Believing in the importance of facilities that served the mind, body and spirit, Parman turned his attention to parks and libraries. The 17,000 square –foot Parman Library at Stone Oak is built on acreage that he donated. The site offers not only a library, but a playground, nature trails and a community center. It was important to Parman, that the library not be just a building filled with books, but a facility that could serve as an art, teaching and community center. He wanted the library and its environs to serve the mind, body and spirit. Shortly before his death, city officials named a pavilion at the recently opened Panther Springs Park for Parman, who donated funds and acreage for parking, a trailhead and a dog park in the 300-acre park. At the park's dedication, Parman responded to the pavilion's being named for him by quoting baseball manager Casey Stengel who said, "It's real easy to take credit for everybody else's home runs," only Parman paraphrased Stengel by noting that he was a good manager because he took credit for all the hard work done by everybody else. Parman was preceded in death by his parents, Linnie Montgomery and Daniel Cleveland Parman; wife, Lorna Beach Parman; and sisters, Virginia Dale Parman and Margaret Parman Reese. He is survived by sons, Bryan D. Parman, Bradley J. Parman and husband, Tim Seeliger, and Kevin M. Parman and husband, Thomas Nyman; Teddy Parman Westrom; and sister, Jane Parman Super; long-time friend, Giovanna White; and former daughter-in-law, Lisa Byington, all of San Antonio, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and many dear friends. The Parman sons wish to thank Natasha McClendon and Patricia Wong for their dedicated care of their father. Honorary pallbearers are: Ron Hallenberger, Peter Wolverton, Margaret Nell Patterson, Steve Golden, Miller Smyth, Joe Birdwell, Linda Gilliam, Chuck Boemecke, John Harrell and Gerald Evetts. Memorial Services, under the direction of Porter Loring Funeral Homes, will be Thursday, April 13 at 4 p.m. at the Southwest School of Art, 300 Augusta Street. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the San Antonio Public Library Foundation, Uvalde Public Library, American Diabetes Association or a charity of their choice.