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Monday, February 25, 2008

2008: WILLIAM "BILL" PARENT OBIT

TO THOSE WHO WERE HAMILTON STUDENTS BACK IN THE 50'S, BILL PARENT WAS A HOUSEHOLD NAME. IF YOU PLAYED "HOOKEY" FROM SCHOOL, BILL WAS "THE MAN." HE REPLACED "POP" WATSON AS HAMILTON TRUANT OFFICER. BILL AND HIS SISTER ALICE PARENT GOETZ WERE BOTH INCREDIBLE SINGERS. ALICE HAD THE LEADS IN NEARLY ALL OF THE OPERETTAS AT HAMILTON HIGH DURING HER YEARS THERE. SHE WAS MY TEACHER AT KUSER SCHOOL IN THE 7TH GRADE. SHE WAS A MEMBER OF THE CLASS OF '39 AT HHS.
BILL'S MAGNIFICENT VOICE WAS KNOWN THROUGHOUT THE AREA AND I RECALL ONE OF HIS VISITS TO OUR HAMILTON HIGH CHOIR BACK IN THE LATE 1940'S. HE WILL BE MISSED. BILL LIVED IN HIS FAMILY HOME ON ELLWOOD STREET IN HAMILTON RIGHT UP UNTIL RECENTLY, WHEN HE BECAME INCAPACITATED. THE GLOVER FAMILY KNEW BOTH MR. AND MRS. PARENT WAY BACK IN THE 30'S WHEN WE LIVED ON BEAL STREET.