Earl Kenneth "Ken" Parson Jr., age 84, passed away on June 25 th , 2024. Ken was born at Ball Hospital on December 11, 1939, the son of Earl Kenneth Parson Sr. and Doris Emily Whinrey Parson, in Muncie Indiana. His older sister Julie Parson Phelps Maloy has preceded him in death.

Ken was educated in Muncie and left at age 17 to attend the Indiana College of Mortuary Science, in Indianapolis. He then graduated from Indiana University where he majored in business and theater. While at Indiana University, he appeared in every main stage play that was produced during his schooling as well as numerous studio theater productions. He was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and participated in many practical jokes which are still talked about today. Due to the death of his father during his senior year, he returned to Muncie to take over the family funeral home.

Ken's loved taking care of local families. He developed a library on death and dying to help people deal with their losses. In the early eighties he developed a computer program to modernize funeral homes. He made a chapel in Parson Mortuary for loved ones to grieve. His professional accolades include being past president of the Indiana Funeral Directors Association and the national organization Order of The Golden Rule, which is "an association of independently owned and operated funeral homes dedicated to the ethical service of all." He was national president of OGR from 1976 to 1977.

Ken was active in the community, especially enjoying Scouting. He was Scoutmaster of Troop #25 at First Presbyterian Church for several years in the early 1980s, during which he took his scouts on major trips including canoeing in the boundary waters on the border of Canada, and the Jamboree in Washington DC. He deeply loved being involved in theater and was always happy to host a cast party for his children's theater friends. In the 1980's Ken opened a local theater in Muncie called "8 Blocks Off Broadway Studio Theater", a place where local talent was showcased. In addition, Ken played a variety of musical  instruments, including harmonica, guitar, and tenor banjo.

Later in life, Ken continued his education at Western Michigan University earning a MFA in Creative Writing. He was asked by the university to stay on and teach creative writing, which he did for six years. He wrote a novel and several plays including "Into the Ditch" that won first place in the Key West National Theater Festival.

Ken ran Parson Mortuary until the time of his death. Ken is survived by three children, Emily Parson Greene (Saint Charles, IL), Earl Kenneth Parson III (Prescott, AZ), Allison Parson (Muncie, IN), and three grandchildren, Ethan Kenneth Greene (Charleston, SC), Molly Allison Greene (Nashville, TN), and Sophie Grace Greene (Madison, WI).

In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to MACS-Muncie Animal Care and Services, 901 W. Riggin Road. Ken deeply loved dogs and cats and had many beloved pets over the years.

Funeral services will be held at Parson Mortuary, 801 W. Adams, Muncie, Indiana on Saturday, June 29 th . Visitation will be from 11am to 1pm, the funeral at 1:00 pm, and burial afterwards. The services will be held in the "Blue Room" which Ken helped his father build and was attached to the original funeral home that stood for years at Adams and Proud.

Ken had these words to say to his friends and family, "Don't feel hurt at the death of somebody close to you, because that is how we grow in life, through the people that we know and that help us."