Calvin "Cal" Parrish
Watford City
Calvin Lloyd (“Cal”) Parrish was born in Bismarck on Sept. 13, 1946. The son of Lloyd and Helen (Klamm) Parrish, he joined his older sister, Marjorie. He attended a one-room schoolhouse, Joice School, in Pershing Township. He later attended seventh and eighth grade at Schafer and high school at Watford City, graduating in 1964.
Cal was the third generation of the Parrish family to farm and ranch in McKenzie County, working alongside his dad and uncles Powell and Leonard Parrish on the homestead that had been established in 1910 by E.E. and Celina Parrish.
A very hardworking man, Cal wore many hats. From an early age, he had a bent toward working in a funeral home. As a kid, he would bury sticks and hold funerals for them. After first working as an ambulance driver for Clarence Leiseth, it was natural for Cal to also work as a funeral assistant in the 1970s for Clarence and later for Jack Fulkerson. In addition, he owned Parrish Livestock as a skilled licensed cattle order buyer for many years, traveling to auctions, including Sitting Bull Auction in Williston and Sidney Livestock in Sidney, on a weekly basis.
He married Janette Holm in 1979. Together, they had one daughter, Nicole Celina, born in 1982. The three resided on the original Parrish homestead, raising cow-calf pairs and feeder cattle. They grew wheat, corn, oats, alfalfa and grass hay. Continuing his family’s tradition, Cal was a member of the NDSA. Being a rancher was his beloved identity. He was passionate about his cattle herd and the heritage of Parrish Ranch. He especially enjoyed his pet cows and cats.
He was particularly brave during calving season, taking on Nicole’s most ornery cow alone while the women of the family nervously watched from a safe distance. He also joked that one of Janette’s cows tried to kill him twice, even cracking some of his ribs. Any ranch has ornery cows from time to time, but when the women in his family would request that a particular mean cow be sold, he would reply, “But she had such a nice calf!”
Cal was able to transition from the greasy attire of a farmer and rancher into funeral attire. His occupations also required the ability to function on little sleep and to mentally transition to drop his field work at a moment’s notice. The ranch would need to wait while Cal left to assist families who were experiencing loss. Those who knew him were comforted by the sight of a familiar face during their sorrow. Professional and compassionate, Cal was dedicated and diligent in his service to the funeral home and McKenzie County. He was the longest serving employee of the Watford City funeral home. He was also the longest serving coroner of McKenzie County, serving for more than 40 years.
He enjoyed hunting prairie dogs; watching baseball and football, especially the Yankees and Vikings; and watching TV westerns, especially “Gunsmoke.” He enjoyed teasing Montanans and Norwegians, but loved to partake in lutefisk and lefse, even though he wasn’t Norwegian.
Cal passed away peacefully on Dec. 21, 2022, in Watford City with his family by his side.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Janette in 2017, whom he cared for during her illness; and sister Marjorie Jordan.
He is survived by daughter Nicole and son-in-law Sy Haugan of Watford City and brother-in-law Chris Jordan and his family of Florida.