Christopher Parda

Christopher (Chris) Parda, 44, of Turners Falls died unexpectedly on Monday (5/4/2020) at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield. Born in Greenfield to Linda Kendrick-King and Robert Parda, Chris lived in Keene, NH until the age of 4 when they moved to Turners Falls, the town Chris would call home for the balance of his life, also having lived in Gasport, NY for a period of time during his mid-teens.

Chris leaves behind his wife of nearly 6 years, Janet Randall-Parda; his mother Linda Kendrick-King and step-father Guy King of Montague; his father Robert Parda and step-mother Norma Churchill-Parda of Greenfield; his brother and best friend Dale Parda of Montague and siblings David King of Montague, Richard King of Easthampton, Sheena Ruggirello of Moosup, CT and Jordan Churchill of Attleboro; many aunts, uncles and cousins as well as two nieces and nephews; mother in-law "Ma" Sally Randall of Greenfield, sister in-law "Sis" Nancy and husband Eddie Ambo of Gill, and sister in-law "Sis" Norma and husband John Canon of Greenfield.

As a child Chris was very active and adventurous. He loved to be outdoors and was always on his bike, finding new ways to jump off things that were never meant to be bike jumps! He loved to go hiking and sledding in the winter, finding particular enjoyment as a child in pulling his two younger siblings on a sled (at one time) all the way into the Montague Plains, as if he was a sled dog! Even at a young age, Chris was pure muscle and very strong, and he loved to do physical things like that. Chris was fearless even as a youngster, always the instigator who believed that rules really were made to be broken and he often convinced his younger brother Dale to join him as he "tested" those rules. Once he persuaded Dale to sneak out of the family's yard where they were supposed to be playing to go to the Greenfield Swimming Pool park, just the two of them. During this great adventure, Dale cut his knee wide open and was brought to the ER by a kind stranger. Chris on the other hand, sheepishly showed up at his family's door with a concerned stranger who had brought him home - after he asked if they knew where their children were!

As an adult, Chris still retained his love for the outdoors and bike riding. He enjoyed playing darts, Cornhole, pool, or anything where he could be with friends and family. He liked music, playing drums as a child (like his father) and remaining a lifetime music lover. Chris was a huge MMA enthusiast and loved to see events live whenever he and Janet could, even meeting fighters on the floor of the casino - a gigantic thrill for Chris!

Chris always had a strong mechanical aptitude which, after many years at Tire Warehouse, he wisely put to use in the field of Manufacturing, quickly becoming recognized and valued as a talented machinist and operator. Chris honed his craft with various local manufacturing companies, including New England Natural Bakers where he produced all natural granola, Argotech (now SWM) and Charter NEX Films where he learned to work with plastics and films, and most recently Bradford Machine Company in Brattleboro VT.

It was at Bradford Machine that Chris found where he belonged, quickly mastering the skills required for precision machining of parts used in both the medical and aerospace fields. He was an incredibly hard worker and took pride in doing his best every day, regardless of recognition...he always just wanted to do his best. Bradford Machine recognized this rare and highly desirable quality in Chris, giving him increased machine responsibility at an accelerated pace and entrusting him with the most difficult jobs and prototype runs because of his demonstrated capabilities, attention to detail, and his unwillingness to accept anything less than his best effort. It was also at Bradford Machine that Chris found a second family, becoming one of a tight-knit group of friends that were always there for each other, and that support network extended up to and included the owner of the company. Chris was as proud of those relationships as he was of the job he did everyday.

Chris was extremely tough and resilient, in his younger years having often chosen the hard route at pivotal forks in the road but ultimately fighting his way out of the darkness to be the great man he was, the man who greeted the ones he loved with hugs so tight it was as if he hadn't seen them in decades, the man who was always appreciative of other people's time and generosity and never took for granted any help he received, the man who made his family proud, the man you couldn't help but love.

Chris was a fierce protector of the ones he loved, taking great pride in the life he'd built for and with his cherished partner in life and love, Janet. Once Chris cared for you, he wasn't going to stop - he would always be in your corner. He was a powerful force in this world, a driven, passionate and proud man with a tough coat on the surface, but underneath he was smooth as velvet. For those that knew him, those that loved him, his sudden and tragic departure from this world leaves behind a forever hole as big as the love he had for us all.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no services at this time.

In lieu of flowers, please remember Chris and his love of dogs by making a donation to the Franklin County Sheriff's Office Regional Dog Shelter and Adoption Center at fcrdogkennel.org or your favorite charity.

Smith-Kelleher Funeral Home in Greenfield is assisting the family.