James E. Parsons Jr., 91
James E. Parsons Jr., 91, passed away on Monday, July 18, 2022, in Spokane, Washington.
Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, August 3, 2022, at the First Presbyterian Church in Sandpoint, Idaho, with Pastor Andy Kennaly officiating. A reception will follow.
Jim was born on October 26, 1930, in San Diego, California, to James and Page (Westwood) Parsons. He grew up in Mission Hills and Blossom Valley. The family moved to Sandpoint, where Jim graduated from Sandpoint High School, in 1948. He attended the University of Idaho for two years and then enlisted in the United States Marine Corps for a three-year term during the Korean War.
Jim married Clarice Likness on April 3, 1954, in Seattle, Washington. They made their home in Sandpoint and raised their family. Jim worked for Pack River Lumber Co., owned Parsons Photography Studio since 1958, owned the first ski shop at Schweitzer Mountain, was a surveyor, operated Parsons Reality for 30 years and managed Condo Del Sol for 20 years.
He was very active in the Sandpoint community. He was instrumental in the founding of Schweitzer ski area in the early 1960s, has grown tennis in the community since 1947, is a past president of the Sandpoint Tennis Association, was named Community Champion by the Pacific Northwest Tennis Association, served three terms as president of the Realtors Association and one year as state director, past president of the Lion’s Club and the Bonner County Sportsman Association. He was also named Citizen of the Year by the Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce in 2007.
He is survived by his son, Jim (Rhonda) Parsons of Sandpoint; daughter, Linda Connolly of Sandpoint; four grandchildren, Tyler and Garrett Connolly, Jeffrey (Kim) Buckius, and Samara (Rory) Barnes; seven great-grandchildren, Rory, Liam, Owen, Jordyn, Justin, Abigail, and Lucy; one sister, Janice (Dennis) Stoeser of Yuma, Arizona; and one brother, Dick (Barbara) Parsons of Poulsbo, Washington.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Clarice Parsons; and one brother, Bob Parsons.
Memorial donations may be made to Community Assistance League, PO Box 1361, Sandpoint, ID 83864; or the Spokane Shriners Hospital, 911 W. Fifth Ave, Spokane, WA 99204.
Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Jim’s online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his online guest book.