Bernard Paul Parrish, age 83, peacefully passed away October 23, 2019 in Springfield, Missouri.

Bernie Parrish was born April 29, 1936 in Long Beach, California to Charles Albert Parrish and Margaret Rose Fitzpatrick Parrish. He grew up in Gainesville, Florida, where he attended P.K. Yonge High School and the University of Florida. He was inducted into the University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as a "Gator Great”. Mr. Parrish enjoyed an eight-season professional football career winning the 1964 World Championship with the Cleveland, Browns. He was selected to the Browns All-Time All-Stars team, and in 2017 was inducted into the Cleveland Browns Legends. Mr. Parrish wrote the 1971 bestseller They Call It a Game. He was an early advocate of retired NFL players receiving redress for their football-related traumatic brain injuries and testified at congressional hearings. Bernie was a proud father of six children.

Brother of Charles J. Parrish, Martha (the late John) Kessler, the late Margaret Anne Parrish, the late Elizabeth (Bob) Meredith, and Joan Kiley. Father of Nina (Daniel) Cox, Teresa Rose, Dr. Bernard Paul (Rosalia) Parrish Jr., Holly (David) Meadows, and Amy (Rodney) Dailey. First wife, Caroll Congleton, and mother of Nina, Teresa, Bernard, Holly and Amy. Grandfather of Adam (Amber) Fox, Una Asgeirsdottir, Aron Parrish, Julianna Parrish, Bernard Paul Parrish III, David (Sherry) Meadows III, Sarah (Laziz) Abdukarimov, Micah (Rebekah) Meadows, Hannah (Jesse) Bostrom, Joshua Payne, Jeremy Payne, Colin Dailey, and Claire Dailey. Great grandfather of Vonnegut Fox, Brayden Abdukarimov and Arabella Abdukarimov. Father of Summer Parrish. Third wife, Ruth Semolke, and mother of Summer.

Funeral services will be at 10 am Saturday, November 2, 2019 in Herman H. Lohmeyer Funeral Home 500 E. Walnut Street Springfield, Missouri. Burial will follow in Resurrection Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service in the funeral home.

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