Don Leroy Parlet
Don Leroy Parlet
Don Leroy Parlet
January 26, 1924 – July 9, 2017
Oskaloosa, Iowa | Age 93
Don Parlet, 93, of Oskaloosa passed away Sunday morning, July 9, 2017, at the Northern Mahaska Nursing and Specialty Center in Oskaloosa.
Don Leroy Parlet, son of Roy E. and Marguerite (Tennis) Parlet, was born January 26, 1924, at the farm home of his parents. It was the same farm he worked and lived on his entire life in Harrison Township, Section 11, in Mahaska County.
Don attended Cedar Consolidated School, graduating in 1941. While in high school, Don worked part-time at Putnam’s Garage in Oskaloosa, helped his father with the farm work, but found time to also participate in basketball and baseball. After graduation, Don helped his father with farming and continued to enjoy sports with his friends.
On June 18, 1944, Don was united in marriage to Betty A. Binns at the Central United Methodist Church in Oskaloosa. They settled on a farmstead near his parent’s farm and Don continued farming with his father. Through the years, Don purchased more land adjoining the original Parlet farm. Early in his career he had a milking operation and he raised sheep and beef cattle. He was one of the first farmers in his area to build a farrowing area for his hogs. Later in his farming career he focused his energy on just crop production. In 2008, Don retired from farming after 65 years.
Don attended Cedar United Methodist Church and was a farm Bureau member. He and his wife, Betty, were members of the neighborhood 5:45 Club and the C.R.O.W. Club.
His family includes his son, Gary Parlet of Oskaloosa; his granddaughters: Eugenia and Wendi Parlet, both of Honolulu, Hawaii; two great-grandchildren: Adam and Ashley, at home in Honolulu; his Hanai grandson, Michael Taylor Dixson of Boring, Oregon; several nieces and nephews; and many friends.
In addition to his parents, Don was preceded in death by Betty, his wife of over 68 years; and his sister and brother-in-law, Lois and Max Franklin.
Funeral services for Don will be held at 10:30 a.m., Friday, July 14, at the Garland-Van Arkel-Langkamp Funeral Chapel in Oskaloosa with Rev. Bob Voels of the Cedar United Methodist Church officiating.
Burial will be in the Memorial Lawn Cemetery near Ottumwa.
Visitation will begin at 11 a.m., Thursday, at the funeral chapel; the family will greet visitors from 5-7 p.m., Thursday evening.
Memorials may be made to the Cedar United Methodist Church.
The family requests no floral offerings.
