Parnell J. Waslien

MYRTLE BEACH | Parnell Julius Waslien, ''P.J.'', 65, died Thursday, August 30, 2007 at his residence.

He was born December 5, 1941, in Ithaca, New York, to Ann Larson Waslien, a North Dakota school teacher, and Palmer J. Waslien, a graduate student at Cornell.

P.J. had a busy childhood achieving Eagle Scout (he earned all the badges); playing the trombone in the Drum and Bugle Core; competing in baseball & football; working after school, and all the while managing to maintain a 3.98 GPA. At the age of 16 he had been accepted in UC Berkeley and had already purchased his first Corvette. He received scholarships to both Berkeley and Stanford University and graduated with his brother Glenn from California Lutheran College in Thousand Oaks. He attended the University of Southern California for graduate work in economics.

After college he worked in convenience retailing with Seven Eleven, and later went on to own two of the country's most profitable Franchise Seven Elevens in Southern California. While with Seven Eleven in Atlanta, Ga., he met and married Belinda. In 1969, they celebrated the birth of their much beloved daughter, Leigh Ann.

P.J. was both the incurable collector and a natural entrepreneur. His interests included cars, motorcycles, watches, coins, crystal and real estate. P.J. will be remembered as a gentle giant who bravely fought four bouts of cancer, never giving up and thankful for each day of life surrounded by family and friends.

He is survived by his daughter, Leigh Ann, and son-in-law, James; his sisters, Carol and Doris; his brothers, Wayne and Jay; and beloved friends, Don and Hillary, and their sons, Kevin and Justin.

A memorial service will be held 4 p.m. Saturday, September 8, 2007, at McMillan-Small Funeral Home in Myrtle Beach. The family will receive friends immediately following the service, at his home.

Condolences may be sent to the family online at msfh.net and MyrtleBeachOnline.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made in P.J.'s name, to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, P.O. Box 4072, Pittsfield, MA 01202.

McMillan-Small Funeral Home, (843) 449-3396, is serving the family.