Dorothy Parrish Dies In Washington at Age 94

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Category: Obituaries

Created on Monday, 20 July 2020 15:33

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Dorothy Parrish

Dorothy Parrish, longtime Sitka resident, passed away peacefully in Swedish Hospital, Edmonds, Washington, of natural causes on Wednesday, July 1, 2020.  Her son Dennis Parrish and his wife Debra were by her side.

She was 94.

Dorothy and her husband, Jack, were the owners of the Random House and Flowers by Dorothy in downtown Sitka for 42 years.

Dorothy was born on Dec. 17, 1925, in Yakima, Washington, one of two daughters of George and Alta Engelman. She was raised in Wapato, Washington, by her mother and stepfather, where she met her husband, Jack.

In 1946 she traveled to Wrangell, where she married Jack who had moved there to work at his sister’s restaurant.  It was in Wrangell that their son Dennis was born.

A year later, Dorothy, Jack and Dennis moved to Petersburg where they lived for four years before moving to Craig, and then subsequently to Sitka where Jack worked for Standard Oil Co. for several years and Dorothy worked for Clarence and Hope Rands, the original owners of the Random House. Dorothy was a retail clerk and florist for the Rands for a number of years before she and Jack bought the business, in the early 1960s. They owned and operated the business until 2004.

Dorothy loved Sitka and lived here until 2008, a little over a year after her husband Jack passed away. She had many fond memories of her many friends and adventures in Sitka and was a longtime member of the Eastern Star.  

She and her dog Checkers spent many hours walking through Totem Park and downtown Sitka where Checkers also formed many friendships. In 2008, she and Checkers moved to Woodway, Washington, to be with her son and daughter-in-law Deby. She lived there until her passing.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Sandy, and niece Lana.

Dorothy is survived by her son, Dennis, daughter-in-law Deby; granddaughters Nicole and her husband Matt of Gig Harbor, Washington, and Katy and Tony Hartellius of Cle Elum, Washington; four great-grandchildren,  Channer, Jayce, Brecken and Charlotte; and nephews Barry Hogreffe of Bothell, Washington, Vernon LaBay of Ellensburg, Washington, and Randy Evans, of Scottsdale, Arizona. 

She is also survived by her extended “family” George and Vicki Baggen and their children and her friend Barbara Hames, Sitka.

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