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Francis Xavier Parle
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Francis Xavier Parle was born the third of nine children to Harry Vincent and Mary Hiltrude McEvoy Parle on July 29th 1922. He grew up in Omaha, Nebraska attending Blessed Sacrament School, Creighton University High School and Creighton University. He suffered from numerous serious illnesses during his high school years. At the beginning of WW2 he enlisted in the Navy, entering training at Great Lakes naval Training School and them being assigned to Aircraft Carrier Service. He was transferred to the USS Intrepid where he served throughout the Philippine Seas Campaigns, ending at the Okinawa Coast, where the ship suffered two hits by Kamikaze Bombers one of which went into his gun position. His commanding officer abandoned the position leaving petty officer Parle in charge. There he remained; making sure the gunners had supplies until the engagement ended. When the vessel was finally anchored Parle was sent to Radar school in Maryland.
After discharge he had a fellowship at Notre Dame and another at Creighton University. Recruited by Boeing, he moved to Seattle, then to New Orleans where he worked on the Boeing part of the Moon Rocket. Next he went to the Boeing plant in Renton Washington, where he was lead in design and installation of the wiring of the 727 airplane.
Frank loved children. He and his wife Laurel adopted three young children. They all came with many health problems. As Frank neared the end of his years at Boeing, his wife was taken from him by Cancer. He moved to Shelton, Washington were his brother Fr. Richard lived. On Richards’s days off they worked together on Frank’s house. Frank was a member of the St. Edwards men’s Club. On the occasion of the Men’s Club Dance, Frank asked Richard if he knew anyone he could ask to the dance. Richard, then pastor at Sacred Heart Lacey called a widow he knew and thus Frank and Esther Parks were introduced. After their wedding, Frank and Esther were very involved in many aspects of parish life at Sacred Heart. Frank taught classes of all sorts and both were active with St. Margaret‘s Guild working the funeral receptions. They loved to travel and visit with friends and family. Together they had 20 happy years.