Jack Dale Parsons

1929 - 2018

Jack Dale Parsons

Jack Dale Parsons died unexpectedly on Friday, February 9, 2018 in San Diego, California at the age of 88 on his way to his beloved Baja Sur, Mexico.

Jack Parsons was born on October 20, 1929 in Buffalo, Iowa, the day before the Great Depression. His father always joked that Jack caused the Depression. He graduated from Davenport High School in 1947. He went on to be a winning wrestler at Iowa State University where Coach Hugo Otopalik considered him to be his Golden Boy (Coach Otopalik was the greatest coach that ever lived because he sent the greatest number of athletes to the Olympics). Jack graduated in 1951 with a degree in forestry. The best job he ever had was as a US Marine Corps Rifle Platoon Lieutenant, leading men in combat in the Korean War where he earned several medals. After the war he moved to Weed, California and began working for Long-Bell Lumber Company where he met and subsequently married his wife on September 3, 1953. They had six children in the space of six and half years.

He was a roofing and insulation contractor in Medford, Oregon for 9 years when he sold out to his employees and retired. Then he built public storage facilities, a strip mall, and custom homes, the latter mostly for fun.

He was always willing to drop everything to help his children. His favorite charity was helping the poor in Baja. One time he bought new teeth for a waitress he met once.

Jack is survived by his wife of 64 years, Virginia Ann (nee Filippe), of Redding, California and six children, Britt Parsons (wife Sherri) of Medford, Oregon, Mila McCurtain of Medford, Oregon, Craig Parsons (wife Beth) of Redding, California, Lonna Wood of Medford, Oregon, Retta Parsons of Santa Cruz, California and Brook Parsons of Redding, California and eight grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents of Buffalo, Iowa, John Junior "June" Parsons (1904 – 1957) and Ella M. "Bea" Parsons (nee Gustafson) (1908 – 1959) and his sister Carol Anne Hoffman (nee Parsons) of Redmond, Oregon (1934 – 2014).

A private funeral is scheduled for Thursday, February 22nd at 11:00 AM with a celebration of life immediately following the funeral at 1:00 PM at Neighborhood Church of Redding, 777 Loma Vista Drive, Redding, CA 96002. All are welcome to attend and celebrate Jack's life.

Please sign the guestbook at http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/redding/