Harold Duane Parman

Harold Duane Parman, 86, diedApril 3, 2018at the Apostolic ChristianHome in Sabetha, Kansas. BornOctober 26, 1931 in Sabetha, Kansas to Ernest Harold Parman and Helen Lucille Sawyer Parman,Harold Duane spent his early years in Fairview, Kansas where his father was the owner and editor of the Fairview Enterprise. After the death of his father in an automobile accident in 1935, his mother continued to publish the newspaper until she married Merle Fish in 1939. A year later, Harold acquired a sister, Karen Anne.

When the family moved near Powhattan for a couple of years, Harold attended the one-room Turner school where he took sixth grade even though he had not completed the fourth or fifth grades. It was his best public school experience, with 18-year-old Nellie Alice Rodgers as his teacher. When the family returned to Fairview, he was required to take fifth grade and the next year to retake sixth grade (he never did take fourth grade).

The boredom of school was relieved by his after-school and summer jobs. At the age of seven, he was setting pins at the local bowling alley and pool hall, but most of his employment was connected to farming. He operated farm equipment (tractors and grain trucks) at a young age for Cecil Schmitt and worked on a custom hay baling crew for Ed Theme. When his stepfather Merle Fish went to work for Fairview Produce, Harold was put on the payroll as well and was assigned a variety of jobs. As a sixth grader, long before he could legally drive, he delivered and deposited 100-pound blocks of ice in residential iceboxes.

Harold also liked to relate his experiences as a Boy Scout during World War II, patrolling Fairview to enforce blackout rules and gathering milkweed pods for the floss used to fill life preservers.

Despite missing school to help with activities such as corn shucking when his grandfather Sawyer fell ill, Harold managed to graduate as salutatorian from Fairview High School in 1949. OnAugust 5, 1951, a sweltering summer day, he married Dorothy Coffland, a 1950 Fairview High School graduate, at the Evangelical and Reformed Church in Fairview. Ten days later, Harold was drafted into the U.S. Army to serve during the Korean War. After completing basic training and cooking school, he began cooking for Headquarters Company, 10th Infantry Division, Fort Riley, Kansas and continued until his dischargeAugust 14,1953, a testament to his skills as a chef. During this time, Harold and Dorothy's first child, Steven Duane, was bornSeptember 16, 1952 at Fort Riley.

Harold returned to farming near Fairview after his service in the Army. A second son, David Lynn, was bornDecember 9, 1954. After a disastrous fire and drought, the family sold their farm equipment, and Harold attended mechanics school in Kansas City during 1957. He worked at the Allis-Chalmers dealership in Topeka for a year before returning to Fairview to purchase and operate a cream route for eight years, hauling to the Sabetha Creamery. During this time, Harold and Dorothy welcomed their last child, Linda Marie,December 24, 1964. Since dairy farmers were converting from cream production to bulk milk, Harold closed his route and began working full time for Chase Motors in Fairview.

Harold's final career change came when he gambled on attending the Electronic Computer Programming Institute in Kansas City in 1967. He graduated with the highest grade average of any graduate to that time. After his training, the family moved to Topeka in 1967 where he was employed for over 12 years at Merchants National Bank, more than 14 years with the Santa Fe Railway, and two years for the State of Kansas. He retired in 1995.

During his time as a programmer, data processor, and systems analyst, Harold acquired proficiency in a number of computer languages, designed and coded two major banking application systems, and was responsible for the installation and maintenance of DOS/VS(E) operating systems on two IBM machines as well as software packages.

After retirement, Harold devoted more time to the Kansas Draft Horse Association. He was a member for more than 40 years and the publisher of the organization's newsletter. He attended most of their events and used his photographic skills to document the group's activities. Other events attracting Harold's interest were the annual pow-wows of the Potawatomi and Northeast Kansas tribal groups.

Harold was a voracious reader and patron of the Topeka Public Library, and for many years, he enjoyed collaborating with tech enthusiasts in the Personal Computer Club of Topeka where he could share his expertise.

He was also adept at designing tools, jigs, and equipment to solve specific problems.

Harold is survived by his wife of 66 years, Dorothy Coffland Parman; his son David, daughter-in-law Nancy Witte, and granddaughter Carli of Charlottesville, VA; daughter Linda, son-in-law Grant Miller, and grandson Luke of Temple, TX; daughter-in-law Ann Davis of Johnson, KS; sister Karen Fish Bryant and brother-in-law Ronald Bryant of Bismarck, ND; sister-in-law Mary Winsor and brother-in-law Jim Tomlonson of Warrensburg, MO; and brother-in-law Bob Coffland and wife Patti of Iola, KS. His son Steven preceded him in death.

A memorial service will be heldApril 28at 1:00at the First Congregational Church in Topeka. Memorial contributions may be given to the First Congregational Church, 1701 SW Collins Ave., Topeka, KS 66604, or to The Land Institute, 2440 E.Water Well Rd., Salina, KS 67401.