O. C. Parr Obituary (1940 - 2022)

O.C. Parr, 81, of Texas City, passed away at home on April 5, 2022. He was born on October 4, 1940 to T.G. and Emma Parr, in Mexia, Texas. He grew up in New London, Texas, until his last year in high school, when the family moved to Hawkins, Texas, where he met Glenda Russell who became his high school sweetheart and wife of 59 years. O.C. served in the U.S. Air Force from 1959 to 1967, during the height of the Cold War, including being deployed during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He and Glenda lived in various U.S. locations and started their family during this time. O.C. used his well-known mechanical skills to keep various aircraft in top working order, but he was most proud to be a mechanic on the first bomber to break the sound barrier, the B58 Hustler. He was a Staff Sergeant at the time of his honorable discharge. O.C. and the family then moved to Texas City where he joined Union Carbide and worked there as a pipe fitter until his retirement. During much of that time, he also captained his beloved shrimp boat, the Robin Q. He was an avid fisherman and hunter and made many lifelong friends. O.C. is survived by his two daughters, Pamela K Parr and Cynthia Lynn Parr, both of Texas City; grandchildren, Cameron Lee Parr of Santa Fe, Robin Quinette Welch of Austin, and Zachary Wyatt Welch of Santa Fe; great-grandchildren, Gavin Welch, Gunnar Welch, Aidan Compton, and Glenda Lola-Mae Parr; step-great-grandchildren, RJ Olszak and Falon Olszak; sister-in-law, Linda Faye Parr; brother-in-law, Weldon Zgarba; and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his wife, Glenda Ann Russell Parr; his first child, Robin Quinnette Parr; and his eldest grandson, Brian Matthew Welch. Memorial Services will be held at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at Carnes Funeral Home in Texas City. Visitation will be held before the service at 2:00-3:00 p.m., and an informal reception will be held in the banquet room after the service. Memorials may be made to the Lung Cancer Research Foundation, https://www.lungcancerresearchfoundation.org, or the Wounded Warrior Project, https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org .