ALICE VIRGINIA FARR PARSONS, age 88, of Benton, Arkansas, died December 8, 2023. She was
born October 17, 1935 in Missouri and raised in Arkansas. She was brought up during "the good old days" and
picked cotton and did farm chores as a child. She graduated from McRae High School in 1954 where she played
varsity basketball, and graduated from St. Vincent Hospital School of Nursing in Little Rock in 1957 with a
Registered Nurse diploma. She married shortly after graduation and lived with her Air Force husband around
the world for the next 20 years raising her children and working as a Registered Nurse in Florida, Taiwan and
Goose Bay, Labrador. They returned to Arkansas after her husband's retirement from the Air Force and she
worked as an R.N. at Saline Memorial Hospital in Benton.
After her children were grown, Alice often traveled with her daughter Lisa across the United States and
abroad where they experienced many exciting adventures and mishaps. These included almost being detained
by police in Russia (they maintain their innocence and were not charged), being chased into the ocean by a
vicious dog in the Bahamas, getting hopelessly lost in a large maze on the grounds of a castle in England as it
was getting dark and having to be rescued, and surviving a harrowing ordeal for hours on Lake Mead on a
houseboat when the engines stopped in the middle of the lake during a sudden storm threatening to capsize the
boat in frigid water. For some reason, Alice and Lisa were always selected for secondary vehicle inspection
when returning to the U.S. from Mexico and pulled out of line for pat down searches on international flights.
Apparently, people seem to think they look like drug smugglers and terrorists. They made lasting memories of
their travels that they talked about often.
In addition to travel and adventure, Alice also enjoyed gardening and oil painting and was well known
as an excellent cook. She was an avid reader and continued to listen to hundreds of audio books after she lost
her vision. She especially enjoyed authors Kristin Hannah and Jodi Picoult. She even read a couple of Stephen
King books although she pronounced him "disturbed" and forbid any further downloads of his books. She did
not want to contribute to any encouragement for him to continue writing. She thought he would find something
else to do if no one bought his books.
Alice could be found working out at the gym well into her 80's despite serious medical issues. Her
favorite was the leg press machine because she liked the seat. The first time she used it she couldn't get it to
move so she called a trainer over and asked him to "turn it on." For a while, she would walk a mile on an indoor
track using her walker even after she lost most of her eyesight. She had to stop and rest several times but she got
it done.
Alice loved dogs, and dogs loved her – except the one in the Bahamas. She had many dogs and
granddogs during her life. Her last few years were spent holding her granddog Zoey in her lap for much of the
day while she listened to audio books. Zoey provided much comfort to her grandma and they had a special
bond.
Alice lived with her daughter, Lisa, who moved to Arkansas from Arizona to care for her the last 14
years. Although Alice had several serious medical issues which required physical assistance and kept her
doctors busy, her mind remained sharp as a tack. They played "brain games" almost every day. Lisa taught
Alice the words to Bohemian Rhapsody and they belted out the song a cappella from time to time, when no one
else was around. She stayed on top of current events, world news and even pop culture. She was an Arkansas
Razorbacks basketball fan and watched all the games until she couldn't see the TV. She yelled and cheered like
she was at the game.
Alice was a member of Calvary Baptist Church. She was a kidney donor for her son, Shannon. She was
preceded in death by her infant daughter Terri Lynne Parsons, her son Shannon Douglas Parsons, PsyD, parents
Allen Edward Farr and Rosie Leola Jones Farr, sister Rachel Farr Fitch, Ph.D. and brother-in-law Coy Dean
Fitch, M.D., brothers Alonzo Farr and Troy Farr and her ex-husband of 55 years, Bobby Nathan Parsons.
She is survived by her daughter Lisa Parsons, son Bobby Parsons, daughter-in-law Dawn Parsons,
PsyD., three grandchildren, sister-in-law Cathy Taylor (who was like a sister) and many other brothers-in-law,
sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. She was especially close to her nieces Julia Fitch Brown and Jaquelyn Fitch
Fleckenstein, M.D.
Private graveside service and burial will be at New Friendship Cemetery in Saline County, next to her
daughter Terri Lynne.