Thomas Parson

Thomas W. "Tom" Parson, 70, of Chattanooga went home to be with the Lord, Tuesday, Jan. 29, 2013 when he died suddenly.Tom was the son of the late William C. "Bill" and Edria Winstene "Wink" Parson. He was a 1961 graduate of Central High School where he played football for the Purple Pounders. He was a graduate of the University of Chattanooga. One of his treasured accomplishments was achieving the rank of Eagle Scout with the Boy Scouts of America. He had worked with Signal Mountain Cement, Velsicol Chemical, Chattanooga Coke and Chemicals, TVA, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory as an engineer. Early in his career, he worked with Chrysler Aeronautics as well as the Tennessee Highway Department and various pipeline companies as a draftsman. A well- known and respected pilot, Tom was a volunteer member of the FAA Safety Board for Tennessee and on the board of electrical advisers for the city of Chattanooga. Tom loved kayaking, hiking, playing racquetball and traveling with his family. He was a member of the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office Reserve Force since 2006. Tom was of the Baptist faith and attended Silverdale Baptist Church. Survivors are his wife, Betsy (Hampton) Parson; daughter and son-in-law, Tani and John Shaner; grandchildren, Allyson and Mason Shaner; brothers and sister-in-law, Don and Susie Parson, and Ron Parson; sister and brother-in-law, Rita (Parson) and Butch Carson and sister Joyce Parson Patterson; several nieces, nephews, and close friends as well as his loyal dog Sam. Services will be conducted Saturday, Feb. 2, at 11 a.m. at Concord Baptist Church with Sheriff Jim Hammond officiating. Burial will follow at Lakewood Memory Gardens East with Dan Page, Harry Phillips, Ron Parson Jr., Derek Patterson, Roger Scott, Dickie Phillips, Terry Parks, and Jimmy Rice serving as pallbearers. Members of the Hamilton County Sheriffs Office Reserve Officers will serve as honorary pallbearers. The body will lie in state from 10-11 a.m. Saturday at the church.Visit www.heritagefh.com to share words of comfort to the family.The family will receive friends today from 4 until 8 p.m. at Heritage Funeral Home, 7454 East Brainerd Road.