PARSONS, Gary C. - b. April 20, 1935 - d. August 18, 2020

[patyrn]

Pastor Gary C. Parsons passed away at the age of 85 on August 18, 2020 at Greenwood County Hospital in Eureka, Kansas after a long illness.  He was born on April 20, 1935 at Seaside Hospital in Crescent City, California to his parents, Henry and Marian Parsons.  He was the fourth child born after two brothers, Wayne and Dale, and his sister, Shirley.

Gary and his siblings were all parented and raised in Crescent City by kind, loving, and nurturing Christian parents who upheld strong Christian values and had a deep faith in God.  Gary graduated from Del Norte High School in 1954.  While in high school, he learned how to fly from an instructor at the Crescent City Airport, Don Clausen, who became a United States Congressman for the region.  Gary and Don became lifelong friends.  Flying and aircraft mechanics became a keen interest of Gary's. 

After graduation, Gary worked for his dad in the family trucking business.  He also married and enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1955.  He was trained as a highly skilled aircraft mechanic, and he maintained nearly a dozen diverse aircraft models including the C124, FB6, B25, B66, B52, C47, KC135, F4, and F106 during his service duty.  While in the service, he and his former wife, Wanda, had two sons, Gary and Hank.

During his service tenure, Gary was assigned to air bases in Texas, Illinois, and Michigan.  He was later stationed overseas in England as a senior aircraft and fuel system mechanic.  His expertise in aircraft maintenance and performance earned him many honors and recognitions, and his military service career was exceptional.  He received the Air Force Commendation Medal, the National Defense Medal, the Outstanding Service Award from the 8th Air Force, two Longevity Service Medals, and several outstanding achievement medals.  He was honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant in 1968.

When Gary was sent to England by the Air Force, he met a beautiful young English woman named Jean.  They fell in love and were married in 1964.  Following his military service, Gary worked on Hovercraft amphibious vehicles in England and for several civilian defense contractors in Japan, Vietnam, Iceland, Germany, England, and the Philippines.  While in the Philippines, Gary and Jean adopted two young, children, Joseph and Susan.  Upon returning to the United States, he and Jean moved back to Crescent City and Gary pursued a small business opportunity as a mechanic to repair logging trucks and other vehicles and opened a gas fueling service business.

While Gary was successful in his new business, he had a deeper interest and calling growing within his heart to follow hid dream and passion to pursue a life n the ministry in the service of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  With encouragement from his wife, Gary began his studies in ministry in the United Methodist Church in 1982.  Jean believed that Gary's commitment to faith was the work of the Holy Spirit in both of their lives, and she supported him as an equal partner in ministry.

Gary assumed his first ministry as a pastor at the United Methodist Church in Gridley, California.  Over the years, he was called to serve churches in White City and Wilsey, Kansas and in Howard and Severy, Kansas.  He then served 10 star covenant churches in Kansas including Columbus, Bethlehem, Neutral, Chetopa, St. Paul, Mason Chapel, Oswego, and Spring Valley.  He retired from his full time pastoral duties in 1999 but then served as part time pastor at Moline United Methodist Church for 7 more years.  The power and grace of Pastor Gary's sermons and blessings of hope, faith, and redemption in following Christ's teaching positively impacted the lives of thousands of his parishioners.  Gary genuinely believed and preached that the promise of the love of the Lord and life everlasting to all who followed him in faith was their salvation.

Gary also found time in his life to give back to the community as a public safety leader.  His past military experience led him to volunteer as the Emergency Preparedness Director for Elk County, Kansas where he led and coordinated emergency first responders to all kinds of emergency events in the county.  He wanted to make the community safer and help anyone who suffered losses.  His leadership in emergency response and preparedness over the years helped to save many lives and secure property from damage.

Gary's priorities in life were to his God, to Jean, his children, and family and friends.  He felt truly humbled by the many blessings he enjoyed in his life and faithfulness to Christ.  He deeply loved his children and was immensely proud of their achievements in life.  His marriage to Jean was a love story bound together as missionaries for Christ.  His reverent spirit, faith in God, and Jean's boundless faith, tireless devotion, love and caring for Gary gave him hope, confidence and strength as he faced many health challenges the past several years and as he prepared for his ascension into Heaven.

Gary is survived by his brother, Wayne Parsons; his beloved wife, Jean Parsons of Howard, Kansas; his daughter, Susan Klein and granddaughters, Shelley and Nikki Roediger; his son, Joseph Parsons and grandson Zachary, Gary (Susan) Halverson and grandsons, Kevin and Michael, and Hank (Gina) Halverson and grandsons Kevin and Michael; his nephew, Richard (Tammy) Zais; nieces, Kathleen West, Marilyn (Bruce) Brandler; cousin, Sharon Van Bebber; and many great nieces, nephews, cousins, and countless close friends throughout Kansas and California and all of Jean's family in England.  He was preceded in death by his parents, Henry and Marian Parsons; his sister Shirley Zais; and his brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Eleanor Parsons.

Visitation will be held at Countryside Funeral Home in Howard, Kansas from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.  A Celebration and Worship service will be held at Countryside Funeral Home on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 10:00 a.m.  Interment will be in the Kansas Veterans Cemetery in Winfield, Kansas at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2020.  Donations and memorials given in Gary's name may be made to the Moline United Methodist Church or the Howard Senior Center and can be mailed to or left with the funeral home.  Arrangements are under the direction of Countryside Funeral Home, 206 E. Washington, Howard, Kansas 67349.

(taken from the Countryside Funeral Home website)