Ray Sylvester Parsons ’57

Ray Sylvester Parsons ’57 passed away on January 15. He had been living in Crossville, Tennessee, at the time of his death. Ray came to Dartmouth from Spirit Lake, Iowa. While at Dartmouth he majored in philosophy-religion, was a member and vice president of Kappa Sigma, worked at the Dartmouth Dining Association, and participated in track, the Geological Society and the Dartmouth Outing Club. Ray spent several years in the U.S. Marines in the Far East (Okinawa, Japan, the Philippines, Korea, Laos and Vietnam). He then spent 25 years in El Paso, Texas, where he was actively involved in exporting energy to Mexico and Central America. He retired as vice president of Heritage Operating LP, a propane distribution company. He was also involved in farming (embryo transplant and artificial insemination of Angus cattle) and he enjoyed horse racing and raising and showing dogs. Ray is survived by his wife of more than 51 years, Barbara, and children Terri, Karen, Cynthia, Robert and Timothy. Joe Stevenson, Kappa Sigma brother and roommate, wrote that he “was deeply saddened to hear of Ray’s passing.” Classmate Bruce Bernstein described him as a “lovely guy” and classmate Mike Lasser said he was a “good fellow.”