Obituary

Ray Woodrow Parrott, 91, passed away on Monday (Nov. 15, 2010) at Kansas Christian Home in Newton.

Ray was born on May 15, 1919, to William K. and Ida Belle Parrott on a farm near Wellston, Okla., where he lived until an early teenager. He moved with his family to the Wichita area and graduated from Maize High School in 1937. While driving a Wichita City Bus, he met Fredonia (Fritz) Anderson, and they were married on Aug. 30, 1942. During World War II, he was stationed in Coffeyville and served in the Army Air Corps as a military policeman. After the war, Ray moved his family to Winfield and worked with Fredonia’s father in the earth-moving business. In 1948, the family settled in Wichita, and Ray went to work for Boeing. In subsequent years, Ray worked in custom upholstery and in furniture manufacturing at Duo-Bed Corp. He retired from Allied Van Lines as warehouse foreman in 1982 and expanded his already-huge garden, the fruits of which he shared with many neighbors and friends.

Ray and Fritz joined Broadway Christian Church in 1949 and served in many leadership positions during the years, including elder, chairman of the board, lay ministry and with the Boy Scouts. Health concerns dictated one last move to the Kansas Christian Home in 2007.

Survivors include his son, Jerry (DeAnne) Parrott of Oklahoma City; daughter, Linda (Frank) Galloway of Andover; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two step-great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Fritz; his parents; son, Mark; three brothers; one sister; and granddaughter, Samantha Galloway.

A celebration service will be at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Broadway Mortuary Chapel in Wichita. Memorials have been established with Legacy of John in care of Kansas Christian Home, 1035 S.E. Third, Newton, KS 67114, and New Hope Christian Church (formerly Broadway Christian Church), 1400 S. George Washington Blvd., Wichita, KS 67211. Services will be by Broadway Mortuary.