John William Parsons, age 79 of Nolensville, TN passed away May 29, 2026.

 John was born in Paris, Texas, the third of five children. His father was a Minister for the Church of Christ and the family moved to several southern and southwestern states while John was growing up. He graduated from high school in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. After high school John went to Freed-Hardeman University, completing a three-year program especially designed for ministers. Here he met and married Sue and the two moved to Nashville where he completed an undergraduate degree at Lipscomb University. After three years as a Minister for the Church of Christ, and almost completing a Masters in Theology at working in manufacturing. He rose quickly in that world to management in Human Resources. After the birth of Jay and several company moves, the family was relocated by John’s manufacturing employer to Chicago. He was made Vice President Human Resources, and later became a highly successful Labor Relations Consultant working with companies all over the nation. Along the way John received the Master of Management at Northwestern University in Chicago, graduating second in his class. In 1989, John and his wife became partners in a human resources consulting firm they ran successfully for 26 years serving a variety of companies and industries throughout the U.S. and Canada. John and his family lived and worked out of the Chicago area for 36 years.

 John’s personal interests, in addition to spending time with his family, included golf (he was a scratch golfer), and he was a voracious reader developing an extensive and deep classical library. His broad and deep reading ultimately led him and eventually his wife to the Orthodox Church. They were baptized in a small mission church in Wheaton, Illinois in 1996. John’s health began to fail soon afterwards and through a long period of pain, surgeries, and hospitals over a 15-year span, a decision was made to move to Nashville where Sue had relatives. They both retired here in 2015 and have gratefully attended St. Ignatius Orthodox Church in Franklin. John loved the Liturgy with all his heart, and always believed it provided a foretaste of Heaven in this place and with these people.

Preceded in death by parents, William Howell and Juanita Fanning Parsons. Survived by: loving wife of 57 years, Sue Nicks Parsons; son, Jay William Parsons; brothers, Douglas (Sindy) Parsons, Roger (Sue) Parsons and Stephen (Marcia) Parsons; sister, Laura (Tom) Martin; sister in law and brother in law, Jeanie and Ronnie Crocker and other loving family members.

Funeral services will be conducted 10:00 AM Tuesday, June 9, 2026 at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church. Visitation will be 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Monday and one hour prior to the service on Tuesday at St. Ignatius Orthodox Church. Interment will follow the funeral service at St. Ignatius Church Cemetery. Family and friends will serve as pallbearers.

Memorials may be made to The St. Constantine School of Middle Tennessee. WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 615 794-2289 williamsonmemorial.com