Jeffery Lynn Parrish Sr.'s Obituary
Jeffery Lynn Parrish, Sr., 67, passed away at his home on February 10, 2025. His loss is felt deeply by his sons, his siblings, nieces and nephews, and countless friends and coworkers who knew him fondly as “Mr. P.”
Born in 1957, he grew up in Massillon, Ohio – and was a Tiger through and through. He played varsity football and graduated from Washington High School in 1975. He married his high school sweetheart in 1977 and became a father shortly after. He was perhaps most at home as a dad to two young boys – and he became a legend in the small-town neighborhood as the ringleader of endless bike rides, water fights, and epic games of kick-the-can.
His heart was big, and his laugh was bigger. He could build anything with his hands, he always stopped to change a stranger's flat tire or jump a battery, he knew what to do about a bee sting, and always carried a pocketknife.
Professionally he was a welder and a vocational education teacher. He was proud to say he welded parts that went into space in NASA's shuttle program, he built ambulances, was a fabricator and estimator, and continued to weld for as long as he could hold the torch.
A die-hard sports fan, Jeff always had a game on the tv, radio, or in his earphones – sometimes all at once. He followed all the Cleveland teams avidly, OSU, and the local high school games. He was also a collector of memorabilia – baseball cards, signed footballs and baseballs, Hot Wheels cars, and rare coins – and in his recent retirement, found joy and solace in his various collections and cheering his favorite sports teams.
Jeff is survived by his sons, Jeffrey Lynn Parrish, Jr. and Jason Parrish, both of Fort Myers, FL; brother, John W. Parrish, Jr. (Paula) of Statesboro, GA; sister, Dorene Parrish of Massillon; ex-wife, Mary (Fisher) Parrish, also of Fort Myers, FL; and many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and great-nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents, John W. Parrish Sr. and Dororthy I. Price; and sister, Rebecca Buttermore (William).
Jeff will be laid to rest in Newman Baptist Cemetery in Massillon with his parents and extended family. A celebration of life with family and friends in Columbus and in Massillon will be planned for the summer – when the Ohio weather is perfect for a baseball game.
A man of deep faith, Jeff considered himself blessed. He would want to wish all those grieving his loss “grace, faith, peace, hope, love, and understanding.”
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