Obituary of Miriam Aileen Parrish

Miriam Aileen (Jackson) Parrish was born October 26th, 1938 in St Joseph, Michigan to Loraine Ruth (Fariss) Jackson and Dickson Fitzpatrick Jackson.  She attended Farris State College in Big Rapids, Michigan and at age 19 moved to Chicago, Illinois.  

In 1961 Miriam married John Thomas Elmer in Chicago, Illinois and together they had four children, Kira Lanier (Elmer) Lafond; John Dickson Elmer; Samuel George Elmer and Loraine Elizabeth (Elmer) Riddlebarger.   In April of 1982 she married Gene Parrish.  With Gene she had two step daughters, Judi and Debbie.  

Miriam was assistant to Ann Landers in Chicago and worked with the Secretary of State of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois.  After moving to St Petersburg, Florida she was Executive Director of Volunteer Action Center, became Executive Director of YWCA and then spent many years as Executive Director of Christian Recovery Centers (Faith House) where she and her husband Gene helped men and women battling addiction.  Through her years of dedication to Faith House she added a home for women and multiple properties, a beautiful vegetable garden and a fabulous aviary that the residents helped care for as a part of their recovery.  

Miriam was known for the wonderful ghost stories she told her kids, nieces and nephews and the “talent shows” she helped organize on frequent trips to her parents’ cabin on Lake Lanier in Georgia.  She instilled a love for spiritual hymns with the next generation.  

Miriam was an avid reader, an excellent writer and compiled family history and photos including hand drawn maps of the town where her parents grew up, met and married. 

Miriam is survived by her children; her sisters Derelle Martin and Florence Hardy;  her grandchildren Tim, Christopher and Jacob Elmer, Emily and Katherine Lafond, Nicole and Bobby Riddlebarger, Tessa Elmer and Amanda and Stefanie Self, many nieces and nephews and five great-grandchildren.  

Miriam was preceded in death by her father and mother, her brothers George, John and Samuel Jackson, her husband Gene Parrish, her ex-husband John Elmer and her nieces Virginia Martin and Dawn (Jackson) Denboer.  

Miriam passed away May 27, 2018 at Menorah Manor in St Petersburg, Florida.  Services for Miriam Parrish will be held Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 at Anderson McQueen Funeral Home, 7820 38th Avenue, North, St Petersburg, Florida.  Visitation will begin at 10am and the service will start at 11am. A reception will follow.

If you prefer, donations may be made in Miriam’s name to the hospice or animal welfare service of your choice.