Jim Edd Parsons, 10 Jan 1930 - 16 Jan 2019

PARSONS, WILLARD, RUTLEDGE, RUSSELL, SCHAKEL, WHITE, BURG, DEJARNATT, HUDSON, HOLDEN

Posted By: Sarah Witte (email)
Date: 7/14/2019 at 14:02:10

Jim Edd Parsons was born Jan. 10, 1930, in Mount Grove, Mo., the son of Alva and Bertha (Willard) Parsons. He grew up in Missouri and Kansas before moving to Iowa in 1951. On Dec. 26, 1951, Jim was united in marriage to Mary Lou Rutledge in Salem, Ark.

He worked for the English Valleys' Co-Op Creamery Association in North English for 14 years. He farmed and worked for the University of Iowa as a custodian for 20 years, retiring in 1990. Jim was a former member of the Moose Lodge in Iowa City. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, tinkering with motors and wood carving.

Jim died on Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, at Rose Haven Nursing Home in Marengo, Iowa, at the age of 89 years.

He is survived by his children, Donald and Vickie Parsons of Belle Plaine, Judie and Gordon Russell of Oxford, Jeffery and Sue Parsons of North English, and Kathleen Schakel of Cedar Rapids; nine grandchildren, Adam and Jodi Parsons, Krista and Jeremey White, Gordon Russell III, Amy and Jon Burg, Tyler Russell, Justin and Sonja Parsons, Mary and Philip DeJarnatt, Spring and Matt Hudson and Mollie Kathleen Schakel; and 22 great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild. He was preceded by his parents; wife; an infant daughter, Rosemary Sue Parsons; a sister, Darlene Holden; three brothers, Claude, Glenn and an infant, Marion Lee Parsons; and a great-grandson, Boone DeJarnatt.

Celebration of Life service will be held 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Powell Funeral Home in North English. Burial will be in the Yankee Point Cemetery, rural North English. Visitation will be held from 1 p.m. until service time at the funeral home. A general memorial fund has been established. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com .

Published in The Gazette on Jan. 18, 2019 and in the Journal Tribune on Jan. 23, 2019