Stanley David Parsons, born January 7, 1940, in Bulawayo, Rhodesia died on July 15, 2020, in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He was 80 years old.

Stan grew up the son of a banker on a farm in Matabeleland, boarded at Plumtree School before attending the University of Natal at Pietermaritzburg where he earned his BSc in animal husbandry and Ph.D. in reproductive physiology. He earned an MS in agricultural economics from Purdue University in Indiana where he attended as a Beit Scholar.

Stan married Hazel Sanderson on December 5th, 1964 in Bulawayo. They lived in Harare (then Salisbury); Irene, South Africa; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Harare again, and finally Howick. Stan was a pioneer in his field of livestock agriculture where he was a well-regarded thought leader renowned for his skill as a teacher and for his intellect. He had the ability to distill complex issues into profound simplicities and principles and the talent to explain them in a captivating and motivating manner. Through Ranch Management Consultants, Stan touched the lives of thousands of clients’ families throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada, and southern Africa. He also worked extensively in partnership with Resource Consulting Services throughout Australia and New Zealand. Stan’s practical business management advice and passion for the farming families whose lives this impacts is preserved in the many ranching, grazing, and business seminars that he authored that continue to be taught throughout the world.

As a young man, Stan’s father told him that the only thing that he’d take out of Africa was a first-class education. Stan aimed high and reached his target. He secured US citizenship for his family, was extremely widely read, and had friends on every continent – there was no farming community where he didn’t know someone, usually well. None of these achievements would have been possible without Hazel’s active participation in his business and her lifetime of support. Those who knew him knew that Stan was a commanding, memorable and interesting presence. He was gregarious, industrious, fair, kind, and generous to a fault.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Jack and Mimi Parsons and his brother Pete Parsons. He is survived by Hazel, his wife of 55 years, brother Mike (Barbara) Parsons, daughters Deana (Didier) Jaeger and Ashleigh (Jeff) Curry and son David (Elizabeth) Parsons as well as eight grandchildren.

Donations in his honor may be made to a fund to support the families of his carers who have died from Covid 19 at the link below.