Funeral services for Mr. Morris Holland Parrish, age 82 of Irving, Texas, will be held at the Plymouth Park Baptist Church in Irving, Friday May 1, 2009 at 2:00 p.m., with Pastor Ken Branam officiating. Graveside services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday at Ramah Cemetery near Tenaha, Texas. Local arrangements are under the direction of Jimerson-Lipsey Funeral Home. Mr. Parrish passed away on Thursday April 30, 2009 after a long bout with leukemia.

Morris Holland Parrish was born January 28, 1927 near Tenaha, Texas to Fred and Lena McCann Parrish. He served in WWII and the Korean War as a hospital corpsman in the Navy. Mr. Parrish graduated from Tenaha High School in 1943. He received a BBA from Stephen F. Austin State College and a Masters in Hospital Administration from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. Mr. Parish served as Hospital Administrator of Memorial Hospital - Houston; Memorial Hospital Nacogdoches and Irving Community Hospital - Irving where he retired in 1987. He was appointed by Governor Clements to the Board of Nurse Examiners for the State of Texas. He was appointed by the Irving City Council to serve as Executive Director of the Irving Arts Center where he became interested in art and this interest was carried forth to his eight years as a member of the Irving City Council with four of those being Mayor. This interest was shown through his dedication to public art across the city. He was dedicated to the concept of regional mass transit and worked tirelessly for the expansion of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit service and fought for Irving remaining a part of the system. He also served as a member of the Dallas Mobility Coalition, Member of the Tollway Committee for the Dallas Region, Member of Dallas Area Rapid Transit Arts Committee, Executive Committee of the North Texas Council of Governments, Executive Committee of North Texas Commission, Chairman, Metroplex Mayors Association. Mr. Parrish served as a Deacon of the Plymouth Park Baptist Church. Throughout his varied career he served on many boards, commissions and committees in the three cities where he lived and also on the State and National level.

He is survived by his wife, Marjorie; two children, Richard Parrish of Terrell, Texas and Judith Bolch of Monument, Colorado. Also survived by five grandchildren, Sam Parrish, Danny Parrish, Alex Parrish, Beau Bolch and Ali Bolch; twin brother, Mitchell of Waco, Texas who eight years ago donated his stem cells giving Morris a much longer life than was ever expected and creating medical history. Also surviving him are Mitchell's wife LeFern and late brother Bill's wife Jean, of Richardson, Texas. And a number of nieces and nephews. The family would like to give special thanks to Dr. Joseph Fay who did so much to preserve the life of their husband and father for so many extra years.

It was the desire of Morris that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to the Irving Healthcare Foundation in Irving, Texas. Morris felt the foundation was one of his great accomplishments while serving as administrator of the hospital from 1973 to 1987.

Serving as honorary pallbearers are those who called him friend.

A guestbook may be signed online at www.jimerson-lipsey.com.