EDWARD HERBERT PARKINSON
1921 – 2020
Edward Herbert Parkinson was born on December 28, 1921 in Prescott AZ. The family spent a few years at the mine in Jerome, AZ where his youngest brother was born. From there they moved to the ranch in Strawberry, AZ. There he was raised with his siblings from the early 20’s to the mid 30’s. He and his brother Charlie left the ranch and went to Alhambra, CA where he dropped out of high school to go to work.
Eventually he made his way to the Owens valley via a long dusty bus ride in 1942. He met his first wife Marion and they had four kids, two boys and two girls. He started a scrap yard business and storage lot on West Line Street. For many years he worked at the Vanadium Mine doing various different jobs. He owned a Semi and contracted out to whoever needed something moved or hauled from one place to another.
Ed was a very hard worker and a jack of all trades eventually working for Caltrans as a supervisor and equipment operator. While working for Caltrans paving the very same road that brought him to the Owens Valley, he met the love of his life Irene Conception Flores who owned the Little Lake restaurant. They married in 1962, and had two kids, one biological and one adopted. Later making their home in Benton, CA he somehow found the time to graduate from Lee Vining high school in 1967, at the grand old age of 45.
He held many hobbies and special interests including mining, loved collecting antiques, go hiking, hunting and fishing, he found great pleasure in helping others. On the weekends he and the family would follow the old railroad tracks from Laws, CA to Hawthorne, Nv, collecting old bottles, relics, insulators and various treasures along the way. He started the Benton and Chalfant fire departments in 1968 with the help of two men; Ed “Red” Towers and Chuck Corwin.
Along with his many feats he donated land for the Benton Community Center, The Ida Lynn Memorial Park, the land for the community Church and the land for the high school.
Edward Herbert Parkinson Sr. passed away March 6, 2020 peacefully at his home surrounded by his family at the age of 98. He is survived by his two daughters Marie and Francis, his son Ed Parkinson Jr, their spouse’s and many numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 24th, at the East Line Street Cemetery with a memorial service to follow at 12 p.m. in Benton at the Community Center with a lunch afterwards.
Special thanks to his Dr. at Rural Health Dr. Jen Joos and her assistant Elizabeth for being so helpful in the last few weeks of life, as well as Hospice of the Owens Valley for their help with end-of-life care.