Celebrating the Life of
Mary Ann Parrot
September 19, 1946 — December 11, 2020
About Mary Ann
Mary Ann W. Parrot, 74, of Parker, CO, passed away peacefully at home after a brave, 10-year battle with blood cancer. She is survived by Don, her husband of 50 years, her two children, Kate (Bill) and James (Hester), and four grandchildren.
Obituary
Mary Ann W. Parrot, 74, of Parker, CO, beloved wife, mother, sister, aunt and Mimi to her four grandchildren, passed away on December 11, 2020 after a brave, 10-year battle with blood cancer.
Mary Ann was born in 1946 to Walden and Sally Megeath in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She studied mathematics at Indiana University and earned an MBA from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. Later, when she was in her 40s, she went back to school to earn a CPA.
Early in her career, she was a Systems Engineer with IBM, and later taught finance and economics at Minnesota State University and the University of Central Florida. She remained active teaching other professionals throughout her career. For over 25 years, she worked in municipal finance, serving as the Chief Financial Officer in Westminster, Colorado, in Santa Clara, California and in Reno, Nevada. She earned a national reputation for pioneering modern portfolio management in municipal settings. One of her proudest accomplishments was negotiating a deal with the San Francisco 49ers for the construction of a new stadium in Santa Clara. Mary Ann was known as a people person and an excellent manager.
After retiring to Parker, Colorado in 2010, Mary Ann pursued her lifelong love of the arts, becoming a proficient glass artist. In retirement, Mary Ann and Don, her husband of 50 years, loved to walk and hike together in Colorado and the Rocky Mountains with their much-loved dog Molly. They traveled extensively across the West in their camper trailer, and found great joy in the history of the land and the beauty of nature.
Mary Ann inspired her children and grandchildren to share her lifelong passions of bird watching and gardening. Her family and friends treasured her sunny disposition, her curiosity and enthusiasm, and her irreverent sense of humor. Her nature was to accept others fully and without judgment, and to appreciate the positive things in life. She gave freely of her time and energy. If anyone in her life needed help, she was there with words of love and encouragement and a can-do attitude.
As her four grandchildren will tell you, Mimi had a very playful spirit. She was full of fun and spunk, and she entertained them for hours with books, crafts, games, and made-up tales of Harry the Dragon featuring the grandkids as the heroes.
Mary Ann passed peacefully and comfortably at home with her family close by. Even in her last days, she never complained. She was a joy to be around, able to express her love and appreciation for her family. She spent hours chuckling to herself as she began her transition. She left this world with majesty.
Mary Ann is survived by her husband Don, to whom she was devoted, her daughter Kate Isaacs (husband Bill, their two children, David and Eli, and Bill’s son Sam), and her son James Parrot (wife Hester, and their two children, Mirabelle and Vaughn).
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be sent to the [Parker Task Force/Food Bank,](http://www.parkertaskforce.org/) a charity that Mary Ann supported for many years.
Services
Memorial Service
Sunday, December 20, 2020, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm MST
A memorial service for Mary Ann will be held on Sunday, 12/20 from 1-3 PM Mountain Time
492823Memories and Condolences
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Mary Ann and Don, 1970
Mimi just loved her grandbabies so much
Mom gardening--one of her favorite activities
Mimi and Kate and Bill's boys: David and Eli
Mimi's birthday dinner, September 2020
One of Mom's many visits to Boston, at the Museum of Fine Arts
1970 wedding. Two, very happy people.
1970 wedding. Let her eat cake.
Sonoma County
Fun in Yosemite
Engagement photo 2. Look at those eyes!
Engagement photo 1. Beautiful woman!
Mary Ann with her Husband Don, daughter Kate, son James, and daughter-in-law Hester on their trip to Italy and France in December of 2002
Mary Ann with Aunt Mary Zaleski, and daughter-in-law Hester - Summer 2003
Mary Ann brought out the best in everyone. She loved animals and they loved her. Mary Ann adopted this kitty from James and Hester, because Misty fell in love with Mary Ann and loved being around her. As you can see from this photo, Misty was quite prickly, but when around Mary Ann, she was affectionate and loving.
Mary Ann and her oldest grandson, Vaughn, in her favorite Parker coffee shop, April 2018
Mary Ann, Don, and grandchildren Vaughn and Mira, Christmas of 2018
Mary Ann and soon-to-be daughter-in-law Hester, with her nephew Dakota Smith. Hester and James' wedding rehearsal - September 30, 2005
Mary Ann and Don walking down the aisle at James and Hester's wedding - Denver CO, October 1, 2005
Mary Ann celebrating her granddaughter, Mira's, 7th birthday in Denver, CO - June 2018
Mary Ann on the streets of Aix-en-Provence, France - December 2002
Mary Ann's smile lit up the room, and she couldn't stop smiling when she played with her grandchildren. Mary Ann and Vaughn Parrot - Denver, CO, May 2013
Mary Ann and her oldest grandson, Vaughn, at Vaughn's first birthday party - August 2013
Mary Ann and granddaughter, Mira - Denver, CO, Christmas 2013
Mary Ann and granddaughter, Mira - April 2013
Mary Ann and daughter, Kate - Denver, CO September 2005
Mary Ann loved family, especially her four grandchildren - Denver, CO, April 2013
Mary Ann with her grandchildren, Vaughn and Mary Ann - Don and Mary Ann's house in Parker, CO, November 2020
Mary Ann, Don and her grandchildren Mira and Vaughn - Halloween 2020, Parker CO
Mary Ann, Don and granddaughter, Mira - Christmas 2019, Parker, CO
Zaleski wedding
Mary All and grandson, Vaughn - Christmas 2012, Denver, CO
Mary Ann with grandkids Mira and Vaughn and daughter-in-law Hester - Denver CO
Mary Ann with Don and grandkids Mira, Vaughn and David - November 2016, Denver CO
Mary Ann with daughter Kate and grandsons Vaughn and David - November 2016, Denver CO
Mary Ann granddaughter Mira - November 2016, Denver CO
Mary Ann with granddaughter Mira - November 2016, Denver CO
Mary Ann with grandson Vaughn - November 2016, Denver CO
Mary Ann with grandson Vaughn - November 2016, Denver CO
Mary Ann and Don; daughter Kate with her husband Bill and their son, David; son James with his wife Hester and their daughter Mira and son Vaughn - November 2016, Denver CO
Summer vacation
Aunt Mary, Mary Ann, Anne Meulman and Susie Wagner
Mary Ann and her sister Alma, in the college years
Mary Ann and her sister Alma, 5/6 years old
My sincere condolences to Don and members of your family. I am greatly saddened to know that Mary Ann has passed. What an outstanding lady indeed. I will always have a very special place in my heart for her. What a remarkable life she lived.
Don & Mary Ann, taken at one of our family get togethers in Colorado. Not sure of the year
Mary Ann on Christmas Day 2001
Christmas 2001 with family and Maddie. (Maddie called her Mimi instead of Mary Ann. It has stuck! We still call her Aunt Mimi!)
Christmas 2001 with family and Maddie
Went camping with them in 2001, I think it was early fall. One of Mary Ann’s favorite activities.
Camping with Don and Mary Ann. (We had a lot of fun with them until Maddie decided to cry from 10 pm to 330am. We were so worried that we were keeping them up in their camper that we packed up and left at 4am. They never complained but we know Maddie kept them up! --Michael Parrot, Don's brother
Mary Ann, Kate, and James, in 1978. Don was in the picture too but it was cropped by Blue Butterfly
This was with me (Chuck) from about 1982 when you lived in Reston, VA
Don, Mary Ann, Kate (Katie), and James (Jim), 1982
Mimi with Leigh Stafford's twin boys
Mimi with Leigh Stafford's twin boys
Mary Ann and Leigh Stafford, who was like another daughter to her
About 1993
Christmas mid 2010s
Mary Ann and Don as newlyweds
It was a honor to meet her and share time learning about gardening from her as a nextdoor friend online and in person. She was so sweet with my daughter and was always wanting me to take flowers home to grow myself when it was time to thin out her flower beds. She was a treasure. Her generous nature appreciated.
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