Obituary of David Brown Parrish

David Brown Parrish, age 89 of Gallatin, passed away Thursday November 12, 2015. Funeral Service will be Saturday November 14th at 11:59 a.m. from the chapel of Family Heritage Funeral Home, with The Most Reverend David R. Choby Bishop of Nashville will be officiating. Interment will follow at Crestview Memory Gardens, with Danny Greer, Thomas M. Greer, Jr., Mike McFarland, Mark Parrish, Ryan McFarland, and Cameron Crutcher; Honorary Pallbearers are Ann Dabbs O’Brien Von Mann, Stephen Greenfield, Richard Harris, Michael Brien Bligh, Frank Muse, Sue Alexander, Mary Fitzgerald, Roger Fitzgerald, and Daniel Da Costa. Visitation will be 10:00 a.m. until time of service. A Good Will Ambassador to the World, David Brown Parrish was born to the late Elbert Condred Parrish and Verna Etoile Corum Parrish in Gallatin, Tennessee. An avid traveler, patron of the arts, and decorated World War II Veteran, he attained the rank of staff sergeant fighting in the South Pacific. After serving his country, David Brown, as he liked to be called, settled in Nashville, Tennessee, attending Vanderbilt’s George Peabody College for Teachers and becoming a celebrated educator for 36 years at East Nashville Junior High School, Bailey Junior High School, West End Junior High School, and Nurnberg American High School in Germany. In 2005, he was inducted in to the Tennessee Teacher’s Hall of Fame. Upon his retirement, Mr. Parrish returned to Gallatin where he served on the Boards of The Sumner County Historical Society, Sumner County Museum, Gallatin Chamber of Commerce, Sumner Arts Council, Rose Mont, City of Gallatin Beer Board (Chairman), Gallatin Senior Citizen’s Center, Gallatin Day Care, United Way of Sumner County where yearly the “David Brown Parrish Award” is given, 2000 Census Committee (Chairman), Christian Towers and Manor (30 year member), Volunteer State Community College Friends of the Library, Volunteer State Community College Board of Trustees, Steering Committees for Guild Elementary School, Vena Stuart Elementary School, and Gallatin High School where he received Outstanding Alumnus Award in 1985. Mr. Parrish was a former volunteer for Sumner Regional Medical Center, Sumner Hospice, Mid Cumberland Meals on Wheels and member of the Crossroads Family Community Education Club. He was the recipient of the Gallatin, TN Citizen of the Year Award in 1996, the Sertoma Service to Mankind Award, the American Legion Certificate of School Award (1940), Gallatin Church of Christ Christian of the Year (1989), Grand Masters Award for Community Service (2000), The Keep Gallatin Beautiful Extra Mile Award (2006), Greater Nashville Regional Council Richard A. Fowlkes Excellence in Aging Award (1996), and Peabody Pioneers (2000). David Brown Parrish was a life long member of the Gallatin Church of Christ where he served as a Sunday School Teacher, founded the Church Archives and delivered communion to shut-ins. David brown and his life long friend, Cameron Crutcher were featured for many years in a weekly photo column for a local newspaper depicting unique words. In 2005, Mr. Parrish was the subject of a charity calendar to benefit the Gallatin Public Library. He was preceded in death by brothers, Robert Fitts Parrish and Leon Earl Parrish. Survivors of the Heart include The Cameron Crutcher Family of Gallatin, Tennessee, and The Philip J. O’Brien Family of Nashville, Tennessee, A Worldwide Host of Students, Nieces (Malene Parry, Millie Heath, Jody McFarland, Tina Milstead, Regina Case, and Donna Kirkwood), Nephews (Mike McFarland and Mark Parrish), (fraternal, step, and of the heart), and Twenty Godchildren. Flowers appreciated or memorials made to www.metopera.org, The Metropolitan Opera, 30 Lincoln Plaza, New York, N.Y. 10023. Online condolences may be submitted at familyheritagefh.com. Family Heritage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.