GREAT BEND — Robert A. “Bob” Parrish, 89, died March 2, 2017, at his home in Great Bend. He was born March 3, 1927, at Oklahoma City, Okla., the son of George Elbert and Leta Faye (Dodson) Parrish. He married Mary Belle “Polly” Pollock Sept. 1, 1949, at Kansas City, Mo. She died April 21, 2005. A lifetime resident of Great Bend, he was owner and operator of Parrish Motors, the Dodge automobile agency. He was a United States Army Air Corps veteran, serving during World War II.
Mr. Parrish was a member of First Congregational United Church of Christ, Great Bend Rotary Club, where he received the Paul Harris Fellow, and Barton County Historical Society, where he served as treasurer and president. He formerly was on the board of directors for American State Bank and the Great Bend Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and served as president in 1988. He served on the Great Bend City Council and served as Mayor from 1969 to 1975, was recipient of the Chamber’s Citizen of the Year for 2007, and served as Grand Marshal of the Great Bend Christmas Parade in 2010. Mr. Parrish was actively involved and held many offices in the Republican Party at the local, state and national levels. He enjoyed flying as a private pilot.
Survivors include one son, Rob Parrish and his wife Brenda of Lawrence; two daughters, Cheryl Bornkessel and her husband Bob of Overland Park, and Cynthia Viskocil and her husband James of River Falls, Wis.; six grandchildren, Thomas Parrish and his wife Weatherly, Sarah Parrish, Kimberly Viskocil and her husband Nate Scott, John Viskocil and his wife Ariana Mellow, Brooke Kunstman and her husband Matt, and Blake Bornkessel and his wife Alexandra; and eight great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by one grandson, Brett Bornkessel.
Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, March 8, 2017, at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Great Bend, with the Rev. Loren W. Hickerson officiating. Burial will be in Great Bend Cemetery. Friends may call from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Tuesday, March 7, 2017, at Bryant Funeral Home. Memorials have been requested to Barton County Historical Society or Santa Fe Trail Center, in care of Bryant Funeral Home.
Condolences may be sent and notice viewed at www.bryantfh.net
Arrangements by Bryant Funeral Home
1425 Patton Road Great Bend, Kansas 67530