Marilyn A. (Perham) Parnell

Marilyn Annette (Perham) Parnell passed away on December 11, 2025, in Childress, Texas at the age of 86.

Marilyn was born December 28, 1938 in Florence, Arizona, to Edgar and Ethel (Wilson) Perham.
Upon graduation from Coolidge (AZ) High School, she attended Texas Woman’s University and Texas Tech University. While at TWU, she met Doyle Wayne Parnell, and they were married in Coolidge, Arizona on August 31, 1958. After moving first to Lubbock, and then to Paducah, Texas, they celebrated 67 wedding anniversaries together.

While in high school, Marilyn was a Girl Scout who was able to travel across the country. She was an accomplished seamstress, winning 2nd in State, in the “Make it in Wool” Contest. She learned to sew from her grandmother “Nannie” when she was 5-years-old. She was the Homemaker of Homemakers, much in the way the Apostle Paul said he was the “Pharisee of Pharisees.”

She was a long-time member of the Paducah Methodist Church. Marilyn loved singing and enjoyed all the many special musical performances, especially when Mary Clark was playing. She loved her church family, and served in many different capacities.

Marilyn was head of the Red Cross Bloodmobile for more than 10 years, volunteered with Meals on Wheels, and was a member of the Paducah Museum Board, and Delphian Study Club. She served as an active 4-H leader and in helping as room mother for her children.

Marilyn was an avid bridge player, and also loved playing duplicate bridge. She would go to tournaments to play and always wished that she could have achieved Master status in duplicate bridge. The first section of the paper she always pulled out was the bridge section, so she could read the bridge hands and study the moves. During her later years, she enjoyed playing hand-and-foot with her friends.

Marilyn loved all sports and her children grew up listening to baseball on the radio. She loved her Texas Rangers, Arizona Wildcats, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Paducah Dragons. Her knowledge of sports included all the statistics, strategies and game plans in a way where she often knew more than the radio or tv broadcasters. Then she loved attending all her children and grandchildren’s sports, band, and other activities. She always said she missed working in the concession stand! She was a beloved Memaw to her grandchildren and spent what spare time she had with them.

Marilyn worked at Hall Scruggs and then became manager of Pat Walker’s until the store closed. In the mornings before going to work, she also would volunteer at the school to help at-risk children learn to read. She then went to work at Paducah High School as the Home Economics Substitute, and continued as a substitute for many years. After a brief hiatus from working, she worked three months of the year for six years at the Department of Human Resources.

Marilyn is survived by her husband of 67 years, Doyle, three children: Deaun Fields (Randy), Cheri Vincent (David), and Neal Parnell (Ginger). Grandchildren are Jared Fields (Lauren), Jase Fields (Brittany), Cara Parnell (Ben Thompson), and Hannah Gonzalez (Jacob). Great-Grandchildren are Calvin and Olsen Fields. One brother, Donald Perham (Linda), and a sister, Janet Young. Additionally she left behind beloved nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Thursday, December 18, at the home of Ms. Frances Doshier, 1404 Backus, from 5-7 p.m. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, December 19, at Paducah Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Paducah Cemetery Fund, Paducah Methodist Church, or a donation in memorial of your choice.