Thomas Erle Parnell

Thomas Erle Parnell, age 77, passed away Monday, December 21, 2015 in Nixa. He was born June 11, 1938 in Crawfordsville, IN to Robert and Thelma (Leath) Parnell. Tom was raised in Crawfordsville, Indiana, graduating from Crawfordsville High School in 1957. He participated in basketball and track. After graduation he joined the Navy serving as a dental corpsman at Camp Pendleton Marine Corp Base and also served on the USS Lexington CV-16. He was extremely proud of his military service. While at Camp Pendleton, he met his future wife, Sidney, and on Dec 5th, 1959 they were married at Carlsbad Union Church in Carlsbad, Ca. Upon his discharge from the Navy, they returned to Indiana where he earned a B.S. in Industrial Arts from Indiana State University. He then taught Industrial Arts at North Vermillion High School, in Cayuga, IN. In 1966, the family moved back to California and resided in the cities of Oceanside/Carlsbad and in the city of Newcastle for 22 years each. He was a member of the Oceanside Elks Lodge for 34 years. Tom and Sidney then moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon residing there for seven years. Their final move was to Nixa, Missouri to be close to family. Tom was one of those rare people who was good at everything he put his mind too. He long-jumped over 21 feet in high school in the 50's. In his mid-thirties he had taken up bowling and was good enough to earn his PBA card and bowled in most of the Western stops in the tour. In his late 40's when he "retired" he started playing golf and at his best indexed a handicap of 2. Ham radio operators knew him as WD6GIN and later KK7KK. What he did most well is what came naturally to him. He could sell, sell, sell! Tom could sell anything he could lay eyes on and sometimes things he never saw. He could and would sell you something that you did not know that you needed, wondering how you had done without it, at a price you left thinking was the best bargain in the world. He once sold the same exact deep sea fishing pole and reel setup four weeks in a row to a customer and when asked why he kept buying it; he said "Tom made it sound so great that I felt like I just had to have another every time!" Tom had many close friends over the years and continued to make new ones everywhere that he lived. Best of all Tom was a champion husband and father. He worked six days a week leaving at dawn and returning after dark for many years in the 70's and 80's but the family always had a nice roof over their heads, plenty of eats and clothes to wear. Though we didn't see him much during those years we had fun during the time we were together. Tom is survived by his wife of 56 years, Sidney; his three sons Kent(Noelle), Brent (Fianc� Debra Densmore) and Jay, four grandchildren, William, Sean, and Andy Parnell, Ashley (Kyle) Larson, nephews; William West (Christine), Bruce West (Melanie), sister-in-law's, Kathryn Jackson & Lucinda Young, brothers-in-laws, Richard Greene & Milton Greene, and numerous great nephews, nieces, cousins, and friends of a lifetime. He was preceded in death by his parents, a sister Mary Eva Parks, infant niece and nephew, Roberta and Robert West, and an infant daughter, Leigh Ann Parnell. By Tom's wishes he is being cremated and his ashes interred at the Missouri Veterans Cemetery in Springfield with full military honors on January 6th, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. Thanks to all who have sent condolences and best wishes. They are treasured by us all. In lieu of flowers it was his and the families wish that donations be made in his name to: Shrine Hospitals, 601 E St. Louis St., Springfield, MO. 65806.