Roger "Gene" Parrott Sr.

Roger "Gene" Parrott, Sr., of Manchester, husband of Victoria (Siwik) Parrott died Thursday, (April 18, 2002) at Manchester Memorial Hospital. Roger was the son of the late George and Edna (Kahllo) Parrott, he was born in Woodland, MI on May 18, 1916 in the home built by his great grandfather, Jonathan Haight, who founded the town of Woodland, MI with a land grant from President Van Buren. With a lifelong interest in aviation, at the age of 16, Mr. Parrott acquired his first airplane. After high school, he started the Parrott Flying School in Kalamazoo, MI where he met his wife, Victoria. During the early years of World War II, Mr. Parrott taught flying to the Army Air Corps in Florida. During the latter part of the war, he flew as chief pilot for Consolidated Aircraft. In 1945, Mr. Parrott became the corporate pilot for the Fuller Brush Company, in Hartford, a position he served until the Fuller family sold the company in 1968. He then turned a hobby business, in the cleaning chemical supplies distribution industry, into a company known as RoVic, Inc. which employs 70 and serves Southern New England. Mr. Parrott served as the chairman of the board until his death. Mr. Parrott is a direct descendent of the first settlers of Connecticut and a descendent of four colonial governors. Besides his wife of 61 years, Mr. Parrott leaves a daughter, Tanya Reichelt of South Windsor; two sons, Roger of South Windsor and Michael of Manchester; three grandchildren, Mark Reichelt of Wayland, MA, Jon Reichelt of Manchester, and Elizabeth Parrott of Vernon; seven great grandchildren; and two nieces in Michigan. He was predeceased by a sister, Evelyn Burgess. Calling hours will be Monday, April 22, 5-8 p.m. at Holmes Funeral Home, 400 Main St., Manchester. A graveside service will be Wednesday, April 24, 11 a.m. in East Cemetery, Manchester. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association of Connecticut, 300 Research Parkway, Meriden 06450 or the International Sanitary Supply Association Foundation, 7373 North Lincoln Ave., Lincolnwood, IL 60712-1799 where his family has established a scholarship in his name.