Arlie George Parrish

Arlie George Parrish passed peacefully from this life to his eternal life on February 26, 2019 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was 78. Funeral services have been entrusted to the care of Dighton-Marler Funeral Home of Stillwater.
A Celebration of Arlie’s life will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 3:00 P.M. at Dighton-Marler Funeral Home Chapel. Rev. Randy Thorman will officiate. Interment will follow at Fairlawn Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Steve Adams, Charles Cox, John Meitl, Chance Parrish, Zach Sharp, Jesse Gates. Honorary Pallbearers will be Scooter Parrish and Michael Parrish.
Arlie was born on February 28, 1940 to George and Libby (Watts) Parrish in Portales, New Mexico. After graduating from Portales High School, he worked for his Aunt and Uncle before enlisting and serving his country as a Private in the US Army. He obtained several certifications and honors from the United States Aviation School and served as a fighter plane mechanic as part of special missions in the Vietnam War.
Upon his honorable discharge, he returned to the Portales area and developed his mechanical skills working as a truck driver hauling cattle to stockyards. During one of these trips to Guymon, Oklahoma he met his future wife, Leta Lois Black. The two were married on June 11, 1971 in Clayton, New Mexico. Lois had four children from a previous marriage, giving Arlie an instant family. He was a hard worker, providing for his family as a long-haul driver, which allowed them to see many parts of the US. He was a small business owner, starting Arlo & Son Diesel Shop in Wichita, Kansas.
Arlie and Lois retired to Big Cabin, Oklahoma where they loved to fellowship with friends at the Utopia Baptist Church raising Appaloosa horses until the summer of 2015 when they moved to Stillwater to be closer to family. A serious military man, he became a mellow and easy going “Poppa Honey” and “Bampy” who loved entertaining his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was excited by the recent arrival of his first great-great-grandson.
Arlie loved reading Louis Lamar Westerns, books on history, inventions, and aviation and could often be found in a quiet spot when the family all got together to play board games, especially on holidays, reading books. One of his common responses to things going on around him that he knew he had little control over was, “I’m just on the outside looking in.” His mind and wit remained sharp to the delight of his family. He talked about seeing his brother and parents and in-laws and he was at peace as a man living in God’s grace and saved by the blood of Jesus. Now he is on the inside looking down.
He is survived by his wife Leta Lois; daughter, Natalie Cox and husband Charles of Stillwater; son, Blaine Parrish and husband Jose Pecho of Clackamas, Oregon; daughter, Cheryl Adams and husband Steve of Stillwater; and, son, Kenny Parrish and wife Sheila of Adair, Oklahoma.
Arlie is preceded in death by his parents; parents-in-law, Harold and Leta Black; brother, Rex Parrish and wife Jane, and their son, Doug Parrish; brother-in-law, Frank Black, two sisters-in-law, Sherry Black and Carol Neighbors.
Arlie is survived by in-laws, Paul Black and husband Greg Eicher of Portland, Oregon, David Black of Guymon, Scott Neighbors of Skiatook, Oklahoma, and Marilyn Black of Oberlin, Kansas. His is also survived by 11 grand-children, 27 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandson and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.