Kenneth D Parish

Kenneth Douglas Parish was born on November 28, 1940, in Kermit, Texas to Grover Kenneth Parish and Nondys Pauline (Evans) Parish. His childhood years were spent in Kermit, TX, Jal, NM, Eunice, NM, and Artesia, NM.

Ken Graduated from Artesia high School in 1958, New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell, NM in 1960 where he played on the Bronco baseball team; graduating from Chadron State College in 1962 with a BS in Biology, History and PE and earned a Master of Arts in Education from Arizona State University.

He married Saralyn Chichester on August 17, 1962, in Ord, NE. Three children joined that union: Scott Parish, Greg Parish and Holli Parish Nelson. Ken was a teacher and coach from 1962 to 1979, including Rushville, NE, Kimball, NE, Mesa, AZ and Cozad, NE. He started the wrestling program in Cozad. His coaching career included 11 years as a head football coach at Cozad High School, winning the Class B State Football Championship (undefeated)in 1969. He was Assistant Shrine Coach for the South in 1969 and Head Shrine Coach in 1971 for the South with a winning score. He was Lincoln Journal Star Coach of the Year in 1969. On September 22, 2019, Coach Parish and the Cozad 1969 State Championship Football Team were inducted into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame. After retiring from teaching, he was Human Resources Manager at Monroe/Tennaco Auto Plant in Cozad from 1979 to 1989, and later a consultant for Tennaco from 1989 to 1995. He was an active member of the Cozad Community, serving on the School Board for several years, working for Valley Vending and was a salesman for a sports company.

September 6, 2005, he married Sheryl Jean Olsen in Kauai, HI, and established their residence in Omaha Nebraska. They enjoyed traveling together to visit family and friends, special times in Estes Park, CO and Scottsdale, AZ. He continued his love of the outdoors with a retirement job mowing Shadow Ridge Golf Course.

His special interests included family: children, grandchildren and especially watching grandchildren taking part in various activities. He enjoyed the mountains and hiking; trout fishing, hunting (pheasant and geese), golf and tennis. Later in life, he loved to watch college sports, especially his beloved Huskers where you could find him positioned right in front of the TV when his grandson Garrett was on the field as #44. His faith became very important to him and he looked forward to his weekly Thursday morning Bible study with “his guys”. He and Sheryl were active members of their church, Covenant Presbyterian in Omaha, NE.

Ken was blessed to spend his last few months at CountryHouse Memory Facility in Elkhorn, NE, with further compassion and care of Peaceful hearts Hospice Program.

Preceded in death by his parents, GK and Nondys (Evans) Parish; his first wife Saralyn Parish; his children Lisa Jane Parish and Scott Parish. Survived by his wife Sheryl Parish; his children, Holli Parish (Chris) Nelson, Greg (Coralee Torrence) Parish, and Karin Parish; grandchildren Taylor (Kiel) Nelson, Nolan Nelson, Garrett Nelson, Ella Parish, Max Parish, and Chloe Parish; brother Nick (Daisy Icaro) Parish his extended family Stacey (Beau) Reid, Corey (Susan) Sheen and children Sydney, Carley, Halle Childers and Ellie, Cameron, Griffen Sheen who cherished their “Mr. Ken”; great-grandson Micah Ferguson; brother-in-law Dan Chichester of WY.

MEMORIAL SERVICE Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 11 a.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church.

VISITATION with the family one hour prior to the service at church.  

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Alzheimer’s Association or Peaceful Hearts Hospice.