Ella Mae Parsons' Obituary
Ella Mae Parsons (95), passed peacefully into the arms of Jesus on January 21st, 2024 while surrounded by family. Ella was born at home on August 24th, 1928, the 4th child to Ray and Minnie Wright in Willis, Michigan where she was raised on their family farm.
As a child, she loved spending time with her dad in the barn, singing hymns as they milked cows, gardened, and shifted hay. She graduated from Lincoln High School and went to work at Kaiser-Fraser where one wonderfully fateful day she brought fried chicken to one of the security guards (Abraham “Al” Parsons, or “Abe”) who then invited her to watch him play baseball. They went out afterwards for hot dogs and root beer at Bill’s Hot Dog Stand and thus on June 25th, 1949, began a 50-year marriage.
As a wife and mother, Ella worked hard to make ends meet, transporting special needs students and then becoming a key-punch operator. By the time she retired in the early 1980s, she had succeeded in her position as data entry overseer for Saint Joseph Mercy Hospital in Ann Arbor. She fondly kept in contact with multiple colleagues over the years.
Ella and Abe enjoyed hiking (both alone and with grandchildren in tow), camping, dancing, watching football, antique shopping, and spending time at their cabin in Tennessee. Upon retirement they moved to a townhouse in Montgomery County Maryland and then to one in Frederick where they blessed their son and his growing family. Being near family was incredibly important to both Ella and Al, and nature walks, trips to the park, Sunday dinners and sleepovers were dear to everyone.
Ella was predeceased by her husband in 2000 and leaves behind her son Ron (Retta) Parsons, grandchildren Kendra (James) McDonald, Katrina (Justin) Reggio, Zak (Heather) Parsons, Shaina (Jason) Hill, Micah Parsons, Hannah (Peter) Salomon, Jesse (Kiersten) Parsons, and Luke (Jeany) Parsons and eleven great grandchildren. Ella would tell you with a chuckle that they were “great” great grandchildren.
She spent her final year living at Hartfield’s in Frederick where she would teach her table buddies songs and kept everyone laughing. She had a constant stream of helpers passing through her room, and it was for much more than the always-full jar of chocolate candy.
Ella will always be remembered for her willing desire to sing, hold on to her family, and say, “What’s done is done, you can’t go back.” Her memory will always live on in the hearts of all who loved her.
Private services for the family will be held at Resthaven on Saturday, January 27th.
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