Source: https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/victoria-tx/carrie-parsons-6901066

Carrie S. Parsons
May 13, 1918 - Apr 22, 2016

Carrie Smith Parsons was born in Royal, Louisiana in Winn Parish on May 13, 1918 to Daniel Franklin Smith and Rilla Ola Abrams Smith. Her Louisiana roots were deep with her family settling in Winn Parish in the 1830s. Her father, her uncle Walt Smith and her grandfather Robert P. Smith owned and operated a cotton gin in Sikes, LA.

Carrie graduated from Sikes High School in 1934, attended Louisiana Tech where she was a music major, and later in her life The Victoria College where she pursued business courses. She married John Eaton Parsons in 1940 and to that union was born their daughter Barbara.

Early in her life, she was recognized as having an astounding singing voice, and was often called upon to perform at church services and for other community occasions. She was blessed with a lyric soprano voice that was described by one of her music coaches as “a voice in a million.” When she lived in Monroe, Louisiana in 1936-1940 she regularly sang on Radio Station KMLB. Throughout her life she sang opera arias at home to the delight of her neighbors. Her remarkable talent was inherited by her granddaughter Claire, whose “voice” is the violin, the instrument closest to the human voice. Carrie took great pride in Claire's musical career.

She was an avid gardener and lover of animals. She was able to distinguish with great accuracy a wide range of bird calls because of her keen musical ear. She had a love for opera her entire life, for the literature of musical theatre, and was able to sing the repertoire even in her late years. In her mature years, she took it upon herself to learn the piano repertoire of George Gershwin, which was a delight to her family, as she played the music beautifully, and from the heart. Some of her most vivid recollections and anecdotes included traveling through and living in many states across America during WWII.

Carrie enjoyed a successful career as Secretary/Treasurer and Corporate Officer of Victoria Well Service Corp. After 25 years with the company, she retired at age 65 and spent many of those retirement years traveling to and from Louisiana to visit family and friends. She fondly recalled a description of Winn Parish by a State Home Economist as having pine trees “so tall they tickled the angels' feet.”

Carrie was preceded in death by her parents and beloved brothers and sisters Fred Smith, Clara Smith Bookout, Wallace Smith, Ray Smith, Marie Smith, Ross Smith and Doris Putman.

She is survived by her daughter Barbara Parsons Smith (David), granddaughter Claire Smith Bermingham (Bryce) and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was a member of First English Lutheran Church, Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of the American Colonists, and Colonial Dames Seventeenth Century.

A memorial service will be held at First English Lutheran Church at 2:00 p.m. May 5, 2016. Burial will be at Memorial Park Cemetery.

Honorary pallbearers are David Atmar Smith, Bryce Bermingham, Ferral Guillory, Dan Putman, David Collins, John R. Smith, Jr., Danny Smith, Bill Evans and Elton Tuch.

Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.