James E Parnell

James E. Parnell, 91, long-time resident of Columbia, died Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at NHC Hillview. A memorial service will be conducted Saturday, March 17 at 1:00 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Joe Evans officiating. The family will visit with friends in the church parlor immediately following the service. Honorary Pallbearers include Jim Casselberry, Harold Lucas, Bill Handy, Donny Walters, David Locke, Jean Locke, Ron Neal, Wanda Turner, Mary Dale, Virginia Meece, Poppie Carden, and the Telephone Pioneers of America. The family suggests memorials to First Presbyterian Church, 801 South High Street, Columbia 38401. Born July 1, 1920 in McComb, Mississippi, he was the son of the late James Allen Parnell and Virginia Wells Parnell. While working as a lineman for Southern Bell Telephone Company in Chattanooga he entered Georgia Tech University and enrolled in the ROTC Signal Corps program. On January 6, 1942 he was inducted into the U. S. Army at Camp Shelby, Mississippi and served during WWII until being honorably discharged on March 28, 1946. In September 1946 he helped reorganize the Tennessee National Guard and was assigned duty as Battery Commander, 30th Field Artillery. He was re-assigned to the Signal Corps as Division Signal Officer and Battalion Commander of the 230th Signal Battalion. He retired from the National Guard in September 1967. His final military duty was five years with the Tennessee Defense Force as Signal Officer. After almost 25 years of service, he retired a Lieutenant Colonel in July 1980. After his service in WWII in 1946, Mr. Parnell joined the engineering department of South Central Bell in Chattanooga as a junior engineer. He was promoted to district engineer in Columbia in 1958 where he remained until retiring after 41 years of service in June 1981. Mr. Parnell was very active with the Telephone Pioneers serving as Columbia Counsel President 1964 - 1965. He later served as President of the Tennessee Chapter of the Telephone Pioneers of America from 1972- 1973. Mr. Parnell was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church where his sang in the choir for many years. He was married on September 1, 1946 to Lenora R. Parnell who preceded him in death on October 19, 2011. He is survived by his children, Debi (Don) Totty of Franklin, Bo Parnell of Old Hickory, and Terry (Jan) Parnell of Wilder, Kentucky; grandchildren, Chris Totty, Jonathon Totty, Patrick Totty, Rachel Parnell, Katie Parnell, and Grace Parnell. Oakes & Nichols Funeral Directors are assisting the family with arrangements. Notes of sympathy may be sent to www.oakesandnichols.com.