Frances Parsley

Frances Margaret Parsley passed away unexpectedly in her sleep at her home Saturday January 17, 2015. She was born on Christmas Day, December 25, 1936 in Frederick, Oklahoma to A.J. and Geneva (Carroll) Affholter. Her mother passed away when Margaret, as she was known to her family, was one month old. Her maternal grandmother, Dona Carroll, raised Margaret and her two year old sister, Erma Jane. Her early life was spent in Oklahoma and the family left during the Dust Bowl to follow fruit harvests in California and Washington, settling in the Buena area. Margaret often commented that her childhood was similar to the movie, “The Grapes of Wrath.” They didn’t have many material possessions but were loved and well fed. When their father remarried and her stepmother, Frieda, welcomed Erma and Margaret to their family, brother Andy and sister Judy soon arrived. She attended school in Buena, Toppenish and Zillah, graduating with the Zillah Class of 1955. Margaret married Lenard Van de Graaf on December 12, 1956 and they lived in White Swan where Lenard farmed with his father and brother, Willie. Two sisters married two brothers, as Willie was married to her sister Erma. They were blessed with twin daughters, Lori Ann and Linda Lee, on August 19, 1958. After the Van de Graaf farm was sold, they relocated to Sunnyside for a short time and then moved to Moxee, then to Yakima where Lenard had a trucking business and Margaret was a teacher’s aide at Terrace Heights Elementary School, a job she loved. Margaret married Jack Weldon Parsley on December 16, 1984. They spent many happy years together until his passing on January 15, 2011. Margaret was always there for her family and was a wonderful listener and full of encouragement. She raised her daughters to work hard and love Jesus. She took Lori and Linda to church regularly and her greatest desire was to have her loved ones know Jesus Christ as their personal Savior. Margaret adored her four granddaughters and six great-grandchildren. The girls called her “Bling Grandma” because she was always covered in sparkly jewelry and clothes (she loved her nickname!) They all held a special place in her heart and were her pride and joy, but she had a hard time hiding that Lisa was her favorite. (HaHa!) One of the girls’ most memorable pastimes was when grandma would recite poetry for the family, and she thought they loved it because no one could quit laughing. Grandma Margaret will forever be with us in our hearts, she is unforgettable. She was a special aunt to her nieces and nephews, who will all fondly remember Aunt Margaret’s chocolate sheet cake and jello salads at many family gatherings over the years. Margaret had tremendous faith and courage, fighting breast and colon cancer simultaneously as well as having open heart surgery, a result of a childhood bout of rheumatic fever. She loved yard and estate sales, always telling anyone who would listen about her latest find or bargain!!!! She loved shopping and Macy’s clerks knew her by name! She loved reading and writing poetry, but her most favorite pastime was being with her family! She is survived by her twin daughters, Lori (Jim) Ennis of Selah and Linda (Rod) Mutch of Yakima; four granddaughters, Lisa (Kyle) Martin of Selah, Kelly (Matt) Alexander of Yakima, Kimberly (Scott) Woodward of Moxee and Haley (Jeremy) Sogge of Selah; six great-grandchildren, Logan and Kole Martin, Jaiden, Makenna and Madden Alexander, and Ruby Anne Sogge; two step-grandchildren, David Snow and Stephanie Romero; two step-great grandchildren, Isaiah and Naomi Woodward; her stepmother, Frieda (Al) Brestar, her brother, Andy (Wanda) Affholter Sr., and her sister, Judy (Bruce) Dekker, all of Yakima. She is also survived by Bill Pickering, who was like a son to her and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death of by her parents, A.J. and Geneva Affholter; her sister, Erma Van de Graaf, in 1984; her grandmother Dona Tabb, in 1988; and her beloved husband, Jack Parsley in 2011. Viewing will be at Valley Hills Funeral Home 2600 Business Lane, Terrace Heights on Friday, January 23, 2015, from 12-7 p.m. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at Christian Life Center, 716 N. 40th Avenue, Yakima, at 11 a.m. with a luncheon following. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Calvary Mission, 1223 South 6th Street, Yakima, WA 98901, to assist the needy. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Frances Parsley, please visit our flower store.