Fayetta B. Parsell, enjoyed full life
Fayetta B. Parsell, 96, of Smyrna, passed away peacefully at The Moorings at Lewes in Lewes with her twin sons by her side.
Faye was born Oct. 20, 1925, in Blades, daughter of the late John P. and Hazel M. Toomey Bunting. She attended Beacom Business School after graduating from John M. Clayton High School in Dagsboro. For a brief period of time, Faye worked in the City of Wilmington; however, big-city life was very foreign to the farming community she had been raised in, thus she returned to the home she knew and loved. Until relocating to Smyrna in 1959, Faye helped her parents on their small truck farm of about 40 acres, where they grew tomatoes, strawberries, watermelon and cantaloupe, as well as raised hogs and turkeys. In the winter months, she and her parents would make hundreds of fresh holly wreaths that would be shipped to New York for the holiday season. These endeavors made it possible for them to have a niche in the farm market industry well before its time. Much of their summer produce was delivered to the many hotels in Rehoboth Beach, especially to Mr. Papajohn at the former Belhaven Hotel, as he demanded the best and said they had the best of anyone in the region. It was in Dagsboro where Faye met her husband, Theodore R. Parsell, who passed Nov. 14, 1999. They resided in Dagsboro until moving to Smyrna in 1958, along with her parents who retired from farming.
Faye was a member of the Asbury United Methodist Church in Smyrna, where she worked tirelessly over the years at the many church bazaars, church dinners and with the various Sunday school classes of which she was a member. She and a couple of her friends were known as the Dried Flower Arrangers, as their creations of unique designs accounted for considerable funding to the overall bazaars. There would always be a run for their booth as soon as the bazaar opened.
Faye’s early experience working on the farm continued to her home in Smyrna, where she, her husband, parents and children continued to earn their school lunch money by having a little roadside stand with all the delectable garden items that were growing in the back acre yard. You name it, they grew it. Her yard was always a showplace of color with the many floral plantings and trees growing around the house. Faye’s fresh-cut arrangements were often found at many church and school functions throughout the year, and who could forget Christmas, as her home, inside and out, was a winter wonderland of lights and trimmings! A meticulous homemaker and a very good cook (especially fried chicken), no one ever left hungry. Faye will always be remembered for the telling and retelling of old stories and the many little quotes she would impart along the way to her grandchildren. You must, at some point, get one of her grandchildren to tell the story about the chicken.
And who could forget the many antiquing trips with seven of her lady friends from church, whom she outlived? Their travels throughout Delmarva and Pennsylvania were memorable to say the least, even if no purchases were made.
Faye is survived by her children: Theodore W. Parsell (Marguerite) of Coudersport, Pa., Karen Price of Scottsdale, Ariz., Greg Parsell (Sandy) of Smyrna, and S. Keith Parsell (Alison) of Lewes; her grandchildren: Christopher Parsell (Stephanie) of Ashville, Ala., Liza Parsell of Round Lake, Ill., Erica Price (Nick) of Scottsdale, Ashley Price (Bryan) of Los Angeles, Calif., Jennifer Parsell of Valdosta, Ga., Hunter Parsell of Felton, Christina Lopez (Alex) of Cranberry Twp., Pa., Johnathan Parsell (Danielle) of Kennett Square, Pa., Andrew Parsell (Alexis) of Lewes, Steven Jones (Liz) of Milton, Amanda Boyer of Vermont, and Alex Carrow (Ashley) of Clayton; 17 great-grandchildren: Ross, Jonathan (Samantha), Joseph, Alex (Kimber), Adriana (Richard), Jedeniah (Jocelyn), George, Delaney, Arianna (Colton), Liliana, Luciana, Roman, Terese, Sasha, Mekayla, Jaidyn and Bowen; and 10 great-great-grandchildren: Zeke, Ava, Alexia, Amaya, Raven, Camryn, Josiah, Jayliana, Khloe and Rose.
A viewing will be held from 6 to 8 p.m., Thursday, June 30, at Matthews-Bryson Funeral Home, 123 W. Commerce St., Smyrna.
A viewing will also be held from 9:30 to 11 a.m., Friday, July 1, at Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, 16961 Kings Hwy., Lewes, with a Celebration of Life Service beginning at 11 a.m. Interment will follow the funeral service at Redmen’s Memorial Cemetery, Dagsboro.
All are invited to join the funeral service via livestream by visiting: parsellfuneralhomes.com/obituaries/permalink/10564290/LTWebcast.
In lieu of flowers, the Parsell family suggests memorial contributions to Samaritan’s Purse, P.O. Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607, samaritanspurse.org. Faye strongly believed in the work of this organization.
Visit Faye’s Life Memorial Webpage and sign her virtual guestbook at parsellfuneralhomes.com.
