Ben Parnell's earthly adventure ended yesterday. For him it was indeed an adventure, as he seemed to cling to every twist and turn along the way. From early Branson with dirt roads and the great White River, to Drury College at age 16, then LSU for graduation, to war in Europe and the South Pacific, to sixty years of marriage with Jean, to banking and community leadership in Branson and Springfield, to active retirement and global engagement, and finally a time of rest at the Manor at Elfindale, Ben Parnell crammed life at its fullest into most of his 91 years. Baptized in Turkey Creek, Ben was a man of faith to the end. He met his beloved wife Jean at Drury, "chased her around the world" during WWII, married her soon after, moved her to Branson for forty years, and returned her home to Springfield their last twenty years together. He is survived, admired, loved, and missed by sons, Patrick and Todd, their spouses Melissa and Betty; grandchildren, Bart and Bree, Patrick and Caron, Ben and Ashley, Travis, Casey, Patricia, and Conor; great-grandchildren, Gage and Taylor; nephew, John, nieces Krys and Kay, and their families; and a host of dear friends and colleagues. Ben Parnell was a dreamer, and he dreamed large. He dreamed a Branson of national acclaim, a Table Rock Lake to help drive a regional economy, community banks that would serve as beacons of progress and catalysts for action, and prosperous, progressive communities in his native Ozarks. He was a man of two cities, serving both the Branson and Springfield communities with dedication and affection. Beyond that, Ben Parnell was a visionary, a convener, and a collaborator in public; and a loving, encouraging spouse and father at home. He offered children and grandchildren every opportunity they would grasp, and encouraged them to take risks. He loved people, more as an observer and listener than a converser, and shared a quiet, self-deprecating sense of humor to the end. These traits more than any list of accomplishments or leadership roles define a man who lived a large and productive life that touched many. Ben Albert Parnell, Jr. was a good man. A celebration of Ben's life will be held in Stone Chapel at Drury University, 900 N. Benton, with Dr. Peter Browning officiating on Friday, August 6, at 2 p.m. A brief reception will follow in the basement before he is taken home to Branson. Arrangements will be handled by Gorman-Scharpf with interment in Ozarks Memorial Park Cemetery in Branson. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations would be welcomed by Drury University, 900 N. Benton, Springfield, Mo. 65802, or the Upper White River Basin Foundation @ Community Foundation of the Ozarks, 425 E. Trafficway, Springfield, MO 65806. Special thanks are due Mary Kay Murray, Dr. William Rosen, the caring staff at the Manor at Elfindale, and the many who have reached out to him there.
