Charles Bruce Parrish

" Well done, good and faithful servant…Enter into the joy of your Lord." Matthew 25:23 Charles Bruce Parrish was born on April 5, 1951 in Fayetteville, Arkansas to Omer Dean and Opal Viola Parrish. Charles attended Greenland High School, where he was captain of the football team and played track and basketball. He was the editor of the school paper and was notably the only male librarian among 5 other girls in his class. He spent his entire childhood in Northwest Arkansas with his 5 brothers and sisters. Charles attended Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas where he met the love of his life Nancy Gail Parrish. They married in August 1974 and moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee where they had their first daughter, Vanessa, in 1977. In 1979, Charles attended Sunset School of Preaching in Lubbock, TX and in 1981 they welcomed their second daughter, Rachael. Charles and Nancy then moved to Cottage Grove, Minnesota where he helped establish and build Woodbury Church of Christ, which still thrives today. In Minnesota, he touched many lives and made friends that have now become family. In 1988, with a desire to be closer to his and Nancy's family, he moved to Goodlettsville, TN where he was a preacher at Goodlettsville Church of Christ. When he retired from preaching, he worked at DuPont for over 15 years where he made many beloved friends. Charles was known for his sense of humor and overall silliness. He loved to be the center of attention and get a laugh from all. Above all, he is remembered for his huge heart and his passion for helping others, whether they were friends, family or complete strangers. Charles loved to be outside golfing, fishing and working in his shop. In recent years, he started building birdhouses and enjoyed feeding the birds at his home. He loved to be in the deer woods and we called him our "mighty hunter". While he loved to eat his venison, you wouldn't know it by his love for all the animal friends he tended to each day in the yard. From squirrels, to skunks, to deer and birds, and groundhogs he always ensured they were well fed and taken care of. He also enjoyed spending time with his grandsons, teaching them how to throw the football, shoot a BB gun and share big bowls of ice cream. He and Nancy enjoyed traveling together to the Colorado mountains and to the beaches of Florida with their friends. Charles is preceded in death by his parents, Omer Dean Parrish and Opal Viola Parrish. Charles is survived by his wife Nancy of 46 years, his daughter Vanessa Patrick and her husband J.P. and daughter Paley and his daughter Rachael Hartline and her husband Robert, and sons Trace & Cayman. His siblings Norma (d. Dave) Posey, Garry (Judy) Parrish, Gerald (Brenda) Parrish, Nadine (Mike) Huddleston, Nedra (Mike) Crider and many, nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Life Service will be held Saturday, October 31 at 11:00 am at Madison Church of Christ at 106 Gallatin Pike N, Madison, TN 37115. Because of Charles's servant heart and passion for helping others, donations can be made in his name to Second Harvest Food Bank of Middle Tennessee. If you would like to send flowers for the service, they can be delivered on Friday, October 30 to Madison Funeral Home at 219 E Old Hickory Blvd, Madison, TN 37115. "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in…" Matthew 25:23