Christine Parrish

Coats, NC: Mrs. Christine Stewart Akerman Parrish, age 89, of Coats, NC died Tuesday, August 20, 2013, at WakeMed in Raleigh. A funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Friday, August 23, 2013, at Ebenezer Presbyterian Church in Coats. Rev. Jesse Mooney and Rev. Warren Bock will officiate. Burial will follow in Ebenezer Presbyterian Church Cemetery.          Mrs. Parrish was born March 23, 1924, in Coats, NC to the late Charles Guy and Estelle Collier Stewart. She was also preceded in death by her husbands, Russell S. H. "Bill" Akerman and J. Rupert Parrish; and brother, Eugene Stewart.         Mrs. Parrish was a bookkeeper for Coats Motor Company and Lee-Moore Oil Company, a Civil Servant for the United States Army including the Fort Bragg Supply Department during World War II, and an Activities Director for Lynnwood Manor Nursing Home in Washington State. As a frequent volunteer, Mrs. Parrish served as Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Coats Senior Center for four terms, Chairman of the Coats Centennial Committee, Chairman of the Coats Museum, President of the Washington State Health Activity Volunteer Service for two terms. She started Christmas in the Square for Coats and was the first Grand Marshall of the Coats Christmas Parade. She was a member of the Coats Kiwanis Club, Coats Area Chamber of Commerce, Coats Women's Club, Liberty Club (Education and Community Association) and Ebenezer Presbyterian Church. She was Coats Woman of the Year 2000, received the Governor's Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service in 1990 and was Military Wife of the Year two times for the 49th Artillery Group.         Surviving are son, Russell Stewart Akerman of Coats; step-sons and spouses, Ronnie and Sue Parrish of Coats, Keith and Martha Parrish of Coats, and Dwight and Janice Parrish of Angier; sister-in-law, Mary Stewart of Coats; nieces and nephews, Don and Teresa Stewart of Coats, Ken and Penny Stewart of Raleigh, Lu-Ann and Todd Lesley of Raleigh; step-grandsons and spouses, Kevin and Jill Parrish, Jason Parrish, and Todd and Jessica Parrish; step-granddaughters and spouses, Mandy and Adam Veller and Kristy and Trae Shelton, eight step-great-grandchildren and a special friend, Rebecca U. Pope of Coats.       Family will receive friends at Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Coats from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 22, 2013.       In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to Coats Museum, PO Box 1294, Coats, NC 27521 or the Ebenezer Church Cemetery Fund, PO Box 397, Coats, NC 27521.