Photo courtesy of Lorne and Sons Funeral Home - Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Jan 23, 1943 – Feb 29, 2024
William Parsons Jr. of Locust Valley, NY, and Gulf Stream, FL, died on February 29, 2024. He was 81. Bill is survived by his wife, Terry Parsons; his children, William (Katherine) Parsons, Charles (Susan) Parsons, and Louise (Brian) Parry; his seven grandchildren, Olivia Parsons, Natalie Parsons, Ellory Parsons, Dylan Parry, William Parsons, Brooke Parry, and Charlotte Parry; and his sisters, The Rev. Dr. Llewelyn P. Smith and The Rev. Dr. Louise Parsons Pietsch.
Bill attended The Buckley School and Phillips Exeter Academy and graduated from Yale University in 1965 and in 1968 received his LL.B. from Columbia Law School, where he was a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He joined the law firm of Davis Polk &Wardwell in 1968, where he was a partner from 1977 until his retirement in 2000. Bill specialized in complex trusts and estates and was a pioneer of the firm’s pension and trust investment practice. After his retirement, he remained with the firm as Senior Counsel.
Bill served as a director and trustee for numerous organizations, including the Cedar Hill Foundation, Weezie Foundation, NY Backstretch Employees’ Pension Trust, Long Island Biological Association, The Buckley School, and The Episcopal School in the City of New York. Bill was a devoted member of The St. John’s Episcopal Church in Cold Spring Harbor, NY, serving in many leadership roles including Senior Warden.
Bill excelled in many sports throughout his life including at Yale where he played tennis and Captained the Squash team. Bill will be remembered for his kindness, infectious laugh, love of racehorses, and talented piano playing.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions in Bill’s memory to St. John’s Episcopal Church Cold Spring Harbor, NY. 1670 Route 25 A, P.O. Box 266, Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724.
Read MoreHas it been a year already? Bill’s image, his voice, his wonderful presence are still fresh in my memory. It was always great to be with him, to see his extraordinary competence on display, and to witness his kind-hearted, generous approach to life. I miss him greatly.
Fredric LaMarca
March 03, 2025 | Chamblee, GA | Friend
I met Bill at St John´s Episcopal Church. We loved our church and became good friends in our service to it. I´ve never met a man with more natural charm and innate ability. He was self-assured without being cocky and was a man of principle. I´ll never forget his smile.
Fredric LaMarca
May 19, 2024 | Other
I see Bill now - perhaps age 16 - striding along the path next to the Academy Building. So tall. A singular classmate, smart, but no nerd; his stature, his popularity made it feel OK for us nerds to be smart. I never saw him again, but will always see him.
Bruce Reynolds
April 22, 2024 | School
Bill and I lived in the same house during our senior year at Exeter and we got along exceptionally well. Sadly, after Exeter we went in different directions and never crossed paths again. But Bill, as he was then, remains distinctly in memory and as such, I'm pleased to have the opportunity to extend both condolences and best wishes to his family.
Skip Martin
April 22, 2024 | School
Bill was my first cousin and, while our paths didn´t cross very frequently, it was always great fun to see him when we did get together. My sincere sympathy goes out to his sisters, his children and Wife, and all the younger family members as well.
Anne (Parsons) Ferguson
March 18, 2024 | Family
Bill and I went to Buckley School together over 65 years ago. Bill was such a gem, and so truly talented at everything he did- the practice of law as a partner at a top law firm, college sports, racehorses, chair of the Board of The Buckley School, but most of all a great friend who was always fun to be with, charming, easy to laugh with, and incredibly smart- but never advertised that. Bill made you feel welcome and seemed to love your company with his easy smile and laugh. What a great...
Henry Blackiston
March 11, 2024 | Delray Beach, FL | Friend
