Edward Earl Parsons Jr.

Edward Earl Parsons, Jr., 91, passed away peacefully at home on June 22, 2025. Ed was born on February 9, 1934, in Payette, Idaho to Edward and Bessie (Bess) Parsons. He graduated from Payette High School in 1952 and attended the University of Idaho from 1952-1956. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education with a minor in Biological Sciences. During his senior year, Ed attended an Air Force ROTC summer camp at McChord Air Force Base in Washington and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in July of 1956. He was ordered to active duty in March of 1957.

Ed attended Primary Flight School at Hondo Air Base where he flew the T-28 and T-34. He then completed basic pilot training at Webb Air Force Base in Texas, flying the T-33. In May 1958, he attended Advanced Combat Crew Training at Perrin Air Force Base in Texas where he flew the F-86L. In April of 1959, he was assigned to the 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Suffolk County Air Force Base in New York flying the F-102. In 1961, he was reassigned as an F-106 pilot with the 5th Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. It was there that he met the love of his life, Sharon Maxine Peterson.

Ed and Sharon were married on October 19, 1961, in Minot, North Dakota. In 1962, Ed was assigned as an F-102 pilot to the 431st Fighter Interceptor Squadron at Zaragoza Air Base in Spain. He left active duty in May of 1964 and returned to Payette, Idaho to farm with his parents. That same year, he joined the Idaho Air National Guard. From 1964 to 1975, he flew the F-102, and from 1975 to 1986, he flew the RF-4C. In February of 1979, Ed became the Chief of Staff for the Idaho Air National Guard and was promoted to Brigadier General in June of 1986. After his promotion, he flew the C-131 and C-126 aircraft until his retirement in 1991. In total, Ed accumulated over 5,000 hours as a command pilot.

In addition to flying and farming, Ed worked as a substitute teacher for the Payette School District. Although he held a farm liquidation sale in 1989, he continued farming for Jerry Inouye well into his 80s.

Ed was a devoted community member, serving on the Payette School Board for 9 years, including time as chairman. He was on the Lower Payette Ditch Board for 28 years and served 15 years on the Payette County Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service. He was a founding member of the Payette High School FFA chapter and served as a liaison for the Air Force Academy and ROTC. He also served on the boards of the Payette County Museum and the Transition House.

A 50-year Master Mason, Ed was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Payette. He also belonged to the Elks, the American Legion, the National Guard Association of the United States, and a lifetime member of both the American and Idaho Angus Associations. He had been a member of the United Methodist Church since 1964, and he dedicated many hours to church service.

Ed is survived by his wife of 63 years, Sharon Parsons; his three children: Lisa (Steve) Bisbee of Payette, Ed (Liz) Parsons III of Boise, Tom (Jennifer) Parsons of Payette; seven grandchildren: John, Jason, Heather, Taylor, Zach, Corbin, and Kendyl; and three great-granddaughters: Olivia, Adalynn, & Madison. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ed and Bess Parsons, and his sisters, Patricia Cothern and Dorothy Noyes.

A celebration of life will be held on Wednesday, July 2, at the Payette United Methodist Church at 11:00 A.M. Military honors will follow the service. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation are encouraged.