by Patsy Reckart, friend and classmate I remember it was Sept.1947 when Rev.Parrish and his wife Naomi and their son moved to Orlando, when Rev. Parrish became the minister at the Orlando United Brethren Church. Gene was very popular with the youth group of the church. He was very good looking and had the most empressing eyes, and all the girls had their eyes on him.
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Left: Eugene Parrish, died 2010.
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Rev. Parrish was very impressed that the church, had a very active youth group. They met once a week but I don't remember what night it was. Belonging to the group were Gene, Mildred (Morrison) Mc.Nemar Betty (Riffle) Stout Doris Riffle, Patsy (Morrison) Reckart Roy Stout who at the time was dating Betty, Bud Conrad, Jimmie Godfrey, Max Hamilton, Louie Mae Beckner, Jake Riffle, Maggie Hamilton and Bill Barrnett, our Sunday school teacher and youth leader. Sometimes we would meet at the parsonage and pop popcorn and set on the porch and sing.
It has been more than 65 years ago but I can still remember all the good times we had. We had no televison or computer but we always stayed busy. We had a 4-H Club called the Orlando Tip Toppers, we went on hikes in the woods around us, in the winter we would sled ride, I remember when we had a pretty good snow, we would burn an old tire and sled ride untill way after dark. somtimes riding double. We would start at Mike Moran's garage and ride way past Brown's store, One time Gene went up in Mike's yard, and he missed making the turn and went over the hill down to the rail road track, thank goodness he wasn't hurt. Other times we would walk the rail road rails, or swim in the creek we never heard of drugs, no one smoked or drank, I'm happy to say we were pretty good kids.
Gene was so musically talented, he could play any instrument and he also had a great voice, Sometimes he would get in trouble with his Mom> when he would add a little boogie to the hymn he was playing. Oh I could tell so many wonderful stories about our child hood and our youth group. Gene was in the band at Burnsville, when Miss Amos was the director, he was the drum major and won many awards with his wonderful talent, I don't remember when they moved but Gene did not graduate with us, I think he graduated from Buchannon.
As I look back to those days it really saddens me to think all of our group is deceased except Mildred, Betty, Doris,and myself. But it is still wonderful to think about the good ole days.
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