Richard D. Parr

He was born on July 24, 1944, in Peoria, IL, the son of William and June Parr. He married Christy Salmon on November 3, 1971, in Peoria, IL.

Richard is survived in legacy by his wife, Christy of Benson; one son, Jon (Kim) Salmon of Metamora; three daughters, Carrie (The late Jeff) Nelson of Washington, Katie (Byron) Roger of Huntington, MD, and Molly (Christian Meredith) Salmon of Washington; his ten grandchildren; his mother and two sisters, Bonnie Thompson and Kathy (Rick) Manz, all of Pekin; and a host of loving nieces, cousins, and longtime friends from around the world.

Richard graduated from Elmwood High School, then continued his education at Spoon River Community College. He worked as a Caterpillar engineer for 32 years, allowing him to travel the world and collect beautiful mementos for his family. Amongst his travels was a year of living in Shanghai, China. Richard enjoyed all things mobile, from cars to motorcycles to boats. His favorite sports to participate in included archery, trap shooting, water skiing, and Wii Frisbee golf. In 1998, Richard retired to become a full-time Grandpa. From then on, he dedicated his time to sharing joyful folk songs with his beloved grandchildren, as well as an endless supply of bad puns. He taught the kids how to eat cold beans from a can and walk on his handcrafted stilts. When asked, "What do grandpas do?," Richard's response was, "pinch, tickle, tease, and squeeze." When his hands were free from these duties, he could be found tinkering and woodworking in his garage, often crafting thoughtful gifts for his family. The memories he left will forever remain in our homes and our hearts.

A time to celebrate his life is scheduled for 11:00 am on Saturday, January 14, 2023, at Mason-White Funeral Home in Washington, with visitation one hour prior. Cremation will follow his service. In lieu of flowers, memorials in his name may be given to your favorite charity.