Richard Parson

RICHARD PARSONS

Cedar Rapids

Richard Parsons, 72, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, passed away Friday, July 24, 2020, at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa. A visitation will be from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 28, with a private funeral service following at 11 a.m. at Cedar Memorial Park Chapel of Memories. As mandated by proclamation, social distancing must be practiced which requires a limited number of people to be allowed into the visitation at one time. The use of face masks or shields is encouraged. Please join us on livestreaming at client.tribucast.com/tcid/94949093.

Richard was born on April 10, 1948, the second of seven children to Donald and Doris Parsons in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Richard was a native of Cedar Rapids and graduated from Washington High School in 1966. He joined the U.S. Army and served with the 25th Infantry Division in Vietnam in 1967-68. As a sergeant in an artillery battalion, he performed in an officer's role as a forward observer directing fire in combat operations. While coordinating artillery fire from atop an armored personnel carrier during a firefight, he was wounded in the knee by an enemy grenade. Disregarding his wound and refusing treatment, he continued directing fire into enemy positions which successfully ended the battle. Richard was wounded on a second occasion and was awarded a Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster. In a separate action, he also was awarded the Bronze Star with "V" device for valor.

Richard has resided at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown, Iowa, for the last 22 years. The IVH, as it is often referred to, is an excellent place to live and is used as a model by the VA for all of its facilities across America. Its contemporary campus has private quarters for single vets such as Richard as well as married couples. In addition to their private rooms, all of the vets have access to a fully equipped game room and the craft center, and Richard gifted lots of his creations to family members. Richard liked the ice cream cones when visiting the snack shop. They have for trips those who want visit the Meskwaki Casino.

Richard enjoyed his friends at the Iowa Veternans Home, who will miss him. He always enjoyed the nurses and therapists who attended to him. All of us family members always will remember the excellent care he received from the everyone on the staff: nursing staff, the therapists and the administrative staff. He loved so many of his caretakers. Everyone kept us well informed about his health and well being.

He was preceded in death by his father, Donald Parsons; his stepfather, Bruce Pflughaupt; his mother, Doris Pflughaupt; and a sister, Robinette.

Left to cherish many great memories are his son, John Parsons; sisters, Ruth (Roger) Cooper, Kandi (Gary) Stake, April (Dan) Dietrich, Shaun (Bruce) Kealey and Tracy (Dean) Jandik; as well as many nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that any memorial contribution be made in his name to the VFW.

Online condolences may be directed to the family at www.cedarmemorial.com under obituaries.