Richard (Rich) Frank Parsons, 79, of Brookings, died May 10, 2016 at United Living Community of Brookings.
Visitation was Saturday, May 14 at Basham Funeral Home in Woonsocket, followed by a Celebration of Life at 4 p.m. A private family burial was held at St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Cemetery.  A time of refreshments and fellowship followed the Celebration of Life service at the Community Center.
Richard was born Dec. 15, 1936 in Mitchell to Darrell and Alice (Fitzgerald) Parsons, the fourth of eight children.
Richard graduated from Woonsocket High School in 1955, from Black Hill Teacher’s College in 1961, and received a master’s of geography from South Dakota State University in 1987.
Richard was father to six children: Debbie (Tim) Steichen of Watertown, Dan Parsons of Bakersfield, Calif., Lori Parsons (Terry Gulbranson) of Brookings, Brian (Samantha) Parsons of Sioux Falls, Lezlee Parsons of Broken Arrow, Okla., and Eric Parsons and (Amber Swope) of Brookings. He had 11 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Richard is survived by three sisters, Mary Alice Moe of Sioux Falls, Dorothy Kiefer of Huron and Jean (Dick) Huberty of Mendota Heights, Minn.; and brothers-in-law John Roach and Doug Druse of Huron.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Darrell and Alice Parsons; and four siblings, Helen Zentkowski, Robert Parsons, Patricia Roach and Linda Druse; and great-grandson, Derek Heath Parsons.