Eileen Laurette (London) Parrish

Eileen Laurette Parrish (London) of Mahaffey, PA, passed away at the age of 91 on the evening of April 28th, 2020, due to post-surgical complications.   A celebration of life will be held at a later date, with details to follow.

Eileen was born on March 13th, 1929, in DuBois, PA, to Bertha (Zimmerman) and Irvin London.  She spent her childhood in Big Run, PA, where she learned how to make the most of little resources by watching her mother raise eight children without ever working outside the home after her father died in 1933.   She learned skills at a young age that would eventually make her the ultimate homemaker she became later in life.  As a child, she helped provide for her family by churning homemade butter, which she sold along with farm eggs in Big Run.  She also tended to the garden and farm animals and learned to sew dresses for herself and her sisters from flour sacks, while consistently praising the Lord along the way for her many blessings.  She lived and exemplified the principle of being thankful for always having “enough” throughout her entire life.

At age 19, she married William C. Parrish on June 27th, 1948, and together they raised six children on their family farm in Mahaffey.  Eileen was a woman of many talents, not the least of which was making everyone who came through her door—family, friends, or strangers—feel special with a warm smile and a giant hug.  She was known for her generous spirit and giving to anyone in the family or community who might be in need.   In that spirit, Eileen was an avid quilter who not only hand-quilted a special blanket for each one of her children and grandchildren, but also spent her winter months making countless lap robes (small quilts) for residents of local nursing homes.

Eileen was also a lifelong member of the Mt. Carmel Church, where she served the Lord as a Sunday School teacher, a Bible School teacher, and Church Treasurer.  In addition, she was a member of the Ladies’ Aid, the Bell Township Grange, and the Election Board, and served as a 4-H Leader. She was known for her quick-witted humor and mischievous smile, as well as her extraordinary ability to use everyday items to create necessities to run her household—nothing went to waste in Eileen’s house, whether it was fabric scraps made into beautiful quilts or bacon lard that she turned into her family-famous cure-all soap.  She and Bill were ardent gardeners and she spent hours upon hours each fall preserving the fruits of their labor to fill up their cellar with canned goods to provide for the winter months.  In her free time, she enjoyed researching and documenting family history, stamp collecting, and visiting with family and friends.   Eileen amazed anyone who got to know her with her kind spirit and beautiful soul; she exuded God’s light in her life every day.

Eileen is survived by her brother, Walter London, and her children: Tom Parrish, Wanda (Dan) Stover, Ted (Virginia) Parrish, Beatrice (Sam) Livingston, Betty (Terry) Pardee, and Jessie (Robert) Beatty as well as 12 grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her husband Bill, and her siblings Mary Knarr, Ethel Yoder, Robert London, Arthur London, William London, and Irvin London.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to the Mount Carmel Church at 3023 Clover Run Road, Mahaffey, PA   15757

The Waldron Funeral Home of Mahaffey have been entrusted with the arrangements.

To share a memory or leave an online condolence log on to www.mccabewaldronfh.com