John Wayne Parrish served in Viet Nam from 1968-1969. He was a "Jungle Rat" in the Mekong Delta where he came into direct contact with Agent Orange. As a result of his bravery, the Army awarded him two Purple Hearts.
Sgt. Parrish returned home early January of 1969 and married his high school sweetheart, Karen Bedenbaugh, on April 5th of that year. They have been married almost fifty-three years, have three lovely daughters, two handsome sons-in-law and five bright, good-looking grand-children.
John spent most of his working career at Loxcreen Co. Inc. and led the business through much growth as President and CEO for many of those years.
Golfing and bicycling thousands of miles across France and parts of America were activities he enjoyed, immensely. The diagnosis of Parkinson's Disease, as a result of his exposure to Agent Orange in Viet Nam, made it increasingly difficult for John to participate in those activities.
After dealing with the disease for several years, he retired from Loxcreen in 2012.
Today, John, spends most of his time in his recliner with the television playing and his iPad on his lap. Getting around has become difficult and, increasingly, his wheelchair is his most-used mode of transportation. Phone calls and visits from family and friends, and the occasional outing bring him much pleasure. Cards are always welcome, too!
John Wayne's faith in God, quick wit and loving family have helped sustain him through this long journey.
The Michael J. Fox Foundation is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease and to ensuring the development of improved therapies for those living with Parkinson's today. The Foundation is the world's largest nonprofit funder of Parkinson's research, with more than $800 million in high-impact research funded to date.
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