Don Parsons was born in Dayton, Ohio, on January 08, 1932. He passed away on Thursday, January 07, 2021, in Altamonte Springs, Florida – a little more than an hour before his 89 th birthday.
Don was born Donald Lee Parsons to his father, Chester and mother, Edna. He graduated from Fairmont High School in Dayton in 1950, servicing as the Senior Class President. Don continued his education at the University of Cincinnati, where he got his Bachelor degree in Business Administration in 1956. While attending UC, he entered the Naval Reserves and upon graduation, served our country as an Officer on the USS Kirkpatrick.
The highlight of his collegiate years was his membership into and the brotherhood of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity (Ohio Epsilon chapter). It is there that don experienced the values of this brotherhood; the highest standards of friendship, scholarship, leadership, and service throughout his life. As a collegiate, he served as President and won many awards, including The Order of the Phoenix, one of the highest levels of recognition that an undergraduate can receive. His loyalty to SAE continued throughout his life by advising individual chapters, assisting with the planning of National Conventions and later in life, he performed duties as the fraternity’s Director of Gift Planning.
After Don’s naval service concluded, he worked for National Cash Register (NCR) in Dayton as did his father and grandfather. In 1975, he moved his family to Altamonte Springs. Don was a pioneer in the field of computer software sales to the banking and later hospital industries, traveling throughout the southeast. He was a natural and gifted salesman. His hobbies included golf and following his Bearcats, especially the football and basketball teams.
Don is survived by his three daughters, Julie Parsons Summerlin (Dan), Beth Parsons Rossi (Ron), and Lee Parson Rogers (David) and his grandchildren, Danny Kyle and Andy Summerlin, Christopher, Jonathon and Alexa Rossi, Victoria Thorndike (Chuck) and Sam Rogers. He had one great-grandchild, Cooper Thorndike.
A man of Christian faith, Don attended Maitland Presbyterian Church. Due to COVID, a celebration of life has not been planned. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Sigma Alpha Epsilon ( foundation@sae.net ) in memory of Donald Lee Parsons.
Loomis Funeral Home, Apopka is in charge of arrangements.
The family would like to share a video in his memory below:
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AoRVGBGXW4FOhdNm72EwCrQXi9onyQ?e=NNoDC8