OBITUARY Mary T. Parlett February 16, 1922 – November 2, 2018 Parlett, Mary T., 96, of Tampa, passed away Friday, November 2, 2018. She was preceded in death by her loving husband Robert U., married for 52 years. She is survived by her sister, Betty Ann Trimble Sherrill, who is 90.
She’s also survived by her daughter June Norsworthy (Ross); son, Dr. Ron Parlett (Sandy) and daughter, Kelly Parlett; 4 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. A native of Florida, Mary was a registered nurse for 55 years, and she had a servant’s heart. Mary graduated from Good Samaritan hospital in West Palm Beach.
She was married in June 1944 before Robert Parlett was shipped overseas. She moved to Maryland during the year and worked for the American Red Cross and Riverdale Hospital as an OB nurse. Her first job in Tampa after they moved to Tampa in July 1961, was as an OB Nurse at St. Joseph Hospital from 1961-62, just as Robert got called up for service because of the Berlin Wall Crisis.
Mary retired in 1985 as Program Administrator for the State of Florida Children’s Medical Services after serving as a Hillsborough County Public Health Nurse for the State of Florida Dept of Health for many years. Even after changing jobs from Public Health Nurse to Program Administrator for Children’s Medical Services (which was originally known as the Bureau of Crippled Children), Mary continued to visit her former patients because she cared for them and had a relationship with some of them. She was the pew angel in her church and delivered the flowers that she would pick up each Saturday for the service on Sunday to the shut-ins.
After retirement from the State of Florida, Mary continued nursing as camp nurse “Gauze” for Girl Scout Camp Dorothy Thomas for another fifteen years each summer. Mary believed in service and spent her entire life as a servant of God. She was a member and Elder of Forest Hills Presbyterian Church USA for over sixty years.
She was an active member of Presbyterian Women USA, Church Women United, Beta Sigma Phi, Florida Nurses Association, and Suncoast Girl Scouts, Daughters of the Nile, the Order of Eastern Star and the America Red Cross. She was the President of the FNA in Tampa for several years. She was especially giving as evidenced by being awarded a 30-gallon blood donor pin.
Her love for all things Florida was obvious to anyone who ever knew her. She loved to camp, fish, garden, swim in the ocean. She was a loving wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother.
Graveside services will be Saturday, November 10, 2018 at 10 AM at Oak Grove Cemetery, 3012 W. Sitka Street, Tampa. A Celebration of Life and Reception will be at 1 PM at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, 709 W. Linebaugh Ave. Tampa.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Forest Hills Presbyterian Church.
If you found any mistakes, or you would like to add/remove to this obituary, please contact us by email: info@obituary.memorial. We never ask money for this.
