Obituary of Ralph Elmer Parkansky

Dr. Ralph E. Parkansky, age 80, optometrist, retired Naval officer, and former college professor, died on November 17, 2022, surrounded by his wife and daughters.

Dr. Parkansky was a devoted Christian, husband, son, brother, and father-in-law. He was a loving father of twin girls and "pop" to five grandchildren. Dr. Parkansky was awarded many Naval honors, including the Navy achievement award. Dr. Parkansky worked at many Naval hospitals in the United States, including Bethesda, Maryland, Houston, Texas, and Pensacola, Florida. He was a part of a research team at the Naval base in Pensacola that worked on rhesus monkeys. He worked on many aircraft carriers giving eye exams to active duty servicemen and women. He was also stationed abroad with his family, working in naval hospitals in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and Yokosuka, Japan. Following his twenty-year Naval career, he continued working as a professor at Southern College of Optometry in Memphis, TN.

Dr. Parkansky is survived by his loving wife Linda of fifty-three years; daughters Kendra Varbero and Bethany Henderberg; siblings Jennette L. Jones, David Parkansky, and Betteann R. Keslinke; father-in-law to Darrin Henderberg and George Varbero; grandchildren Elyssa and Beckam Henderberg, Tyler, Luke, and Evan Varbero.  

The celebration of life service will be held on Tuesday, November 22, 2022, from 2-6 P.M. Funeral services will be on Wednesday, November 23, 2022, at 2 P.M. Both the celebration of life and funeral services will be at Sellars Funeral Home in Mount Juliet, TN.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Alzheimer's Association (https://www.alz.org).

Arrangements by Sellars Funeral Home at Mt. Juliet, 2229 N. Mt. Juliet Road, Mt. Juliet, TN 37122, 615-758-5459, obituary line 615-758-8818, www.sellarsfuneralservices.com.