Today is the 68th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  I’ve posted the obituary of my great grand uncle, John Cameron “Jack” Parsons, which was featured in the 11/23/1989 edition of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times.  “Big Jack” was married to my great grand aunt, Erby Katheryn Parsons (Davis) and a Pearl Harbor survivor. He served with the United States Navy during World War II and the Korean War.  Erby was a “Rosie the Riveter”, a term used to describe the women who worked in the maufacturing plants during World War II, bulding munitions and materiel, in Fort Worth, Texas:

 John Cameron (Jack) Parsons, 73, died November 21, 1989 at his residence.

He was a member of the Lily Baptist Church of Lily, Kentucky.

Mr. Parsons had been a resident of Corpus Christi since 1953.  He was a veteran of WWII and the Korean Conflict and retired from the Navy with the following decorations: American Heart Defense Medal, American Theatre Medal and the Korean Service Ribbon.

He was the President of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Member of the Fleet Reserve Association in Flour Bluff, Member of American Legion Bill Roper Post #364, Past Commander of American Legion Gragg-Sherrill Post #248, and a member of the Mayor’s Veterans Council.

He is survived by his wife, Erby Parsons, his son, Jack Cameron Parsons, his daughter, Carolyn Jean Sullivan, all of Corpus Christi, two brothers, Bill Parsons of Fairfield, Ohio and Harold Parsons of Hamilton, Ohio, four sisters, Lucy Hopkins of Lily, Kentucky, Evelyn Martin of Oceanside, California, Doris Jean Grimes and Allie [illegible] of Hamilton, Ohio, one stepdaughter, Janice Pate of Mexia, Texas, 11 grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Thursday evening, November 23, 1989 at the Everhart Chapel.  Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, November 24, 1989 at the Everhart Chapel with Chaplain Richard C. Hettish, Dr. Loren White, Rev. Richard D. Worden and Chaplain Abel Chapa officiating.

Members of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association will act as Honorary Pallbearers.

For those wishing to make donations, the family has designated the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association, Local Chapter #5, c/o A.J. Dunn, Treasurer, 3105 Seafoam, Corpus Christi, Texas 78418.

Brian Davis – James Michael Davis – James Nead Davis – Sherman Harry Davis (brother-in-law of John Cameron Parsons)