1926 – 2013

LEWISTON — John Wiswell Parsons, 87, of Farmington, died Saturday, Nov. 2, at Central Maine Medical Center, surrounded by his loving family.

He was born on Jan. 18, 1926, in Hartford, Conn., the son of Alfred Dyer and Naomi Parker (Wiswell) Parsons. He attended and graduated from Wethersfield, Conn.  schools, before enlisting in the U.S. Army. John served in Europe during WWII and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge, where he was wounded during combat, earning him a Purple Heart.

Upon his return from the service he entered the University of Maine at Orono and earned a B.S. degree in forestry. He later married Sally Ann Kneeland in Greenville on Nov. 28, 1953.

They moved to Yarmouth for a short time, before he took a middle school teaching job in Islesboro and later in Eliot. John and Sally purchased their home in Farmington in 1962 as he took a teaching position at Wilton Academy, where he taught physics, chemistry and biology. During this time he continued his education at the University of Maine at Farmington, earning a M.S. in education.

As the vocational program at Mt. Blue High School in Farmington was established, John developed and spearheaded the forestry program there, which has experienced great success over the years.

John loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, woodworking and was a great steward of his land in Farmington, creating wonderful groves of trees and pastures. His greatest pleasure however, was time spent with his family.

He is survived by his wife, Sally, of Farmington; three children, Patsy Milliken and her husband, Brian, of Falmouth, Martha McCarthy and her husband, Tim, of Hartland and Ralph Parsons and his wife, Tammy, of Farmington; nine grandchildren, Alex Nickerson, Caleb Milliken and his wife, Meghahn, Alicia McCarthy, Angela McCarthy, Ryan Parsons, Jessica Thompson and her husband, Seth, Amy Parsons, Joshua Parsons and his wife, Crystal, and Adam Parsons; seven great-grandchildren; and a sister, Patricia Strickland, of Center Harbor, N.H.

He was predeceased by a son, Allan Parsons, on July 5, 2007.

Words of condolence and tribute may be shared with John’s family and friends on his tribute wall at www.wilesrc.com.

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