Ronald Parchman

Ronald Hugh Parchman was born January 14, 1940, on the Parchman Farm in Madison County, TN, to the late Mitchell Little Parchman and Eglah Mae Parchman.Mr. Parchman is preceded in death by his daughter, Tara Lance Parchman, and his four siblings. He leaves a wife, Brenda Raines Parchman, a daughter, Victoria Parchman Crews, and a grandson, Arthur Burton Crews, all of Jackson, Tennessee.Mr. Parchman was educated in the Madison County school system and continued hid education with a BA from University of Tennessee and a MA from University of Memphis.Mr. Parchman taught math in the Madison Co public school system for one year then was made principal of the Huntersville kindergarten through eighth grade school. He belonged to the Principal Association of Madison County and served two terms as president.In 1968 Mr. Parchman left education to join the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL, with Trans World Airline (TWA). He was hired in as an assistant to the senior engineering staff department. Three months later, Mr. Parchman was given his own department to head. After TWA was outbid by Boeing for future NASA contracts, TWA installed Mr. Parchman to their airline staff in St. Louis, Mo, based on merits. Mr. Parchman developed an inventory control program that was adopted by TWA worldwide. Mr. Parchman's last position held with TWA was a Quality Controller in Sales and Service for the South Central Region.In 1973 Mr. Parchman resigned from TWA and returned to Jackson, TN, where he established his residential building business Parchman and Parchman. In later years the company became Alexander and Parchman. Mr. Parchman served as president of the Home Builders Association twice and held all other offices.Mr. Parchman was dedicated to Habitat for Humanity and Rifa. He donated hours of knowledge, labor, equipment, and passion to see through numerous projects for the Jackson community. Mr. Parchman served on the Goals for Jackson committee with Spragins and Spragins.Mr. Parchman also helped develop school campuses for Episcopal Day School and University School of Jackson, his daughters' alma mater.Mr. Parchman enjoyed sailing and was an avid certified scuba diver during his years in Florida. Mr. and Mrs. Parchman enjoyed years of European travels. He obtained his pilots license in 1986 and enjoyed flying his private plane especially over the Parchman Farm. Mr. Parchman was a proud supporter of the Jackson Symphony Orchestra and continued his love for music through his talents of piano and drums.Mr. Parchman's great loves remained his loving wife, his daughter's, Tara and Victoria, and his new grandson, Burton.Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM today in the chapel of Arrington Funeral Directors. Burial will follow in Highland Memorial Gardens. The family will be receiving friends at the funeral home from 12:00 PM until 2:00 PM prior to the service.Pallbearers to serve will be David Parchman, Donny Parchman, Jeff Parchman, Keith Raines, Ronny Thornton and Ryan Thornton with Randy H. Calton serving as an alternate.Honorary pallbearers will be George F. Bennett, George O. Dorris, H. Jack Holmes, Dr. Ron Kirkland, Steven Lawson, Jerry Lucas, Sam Mclemore, Dr. Robert Patrick, Michael Poole, Dr. Mike Powers, Freddie Pruitt, Dr. Bentley Rawdon, his brother in law Lane Madison Raines, Kenneth W. Short and Dr. Don Wilson.