Teacher, pastor, community leader Parson dies

Friday, Oct. 2, 1998 | 11:38 a.m.

Thirty years ago, Claude H. Parson Jr. encouraged the young black men in his community to be self-reliant, to establish their own businesses. "Be employers rather than employees," he would say.

He told the men to treat their wives with honor and to raise their children with respect for authority.

That same man, who in 1969 worked to see that the black children in Las Vegas had equal exposure to education opportunities as white children, died Tuesday at the age of 70.

Parson, the pastor of Vegas View Church of God in Christ in North Las Vegas since 1974, was a man devoted to his family, his community and his ministry, said Gerald Mason, Parson's nephew and assistant pastor at the same church.

"It was his spiritual background that led to the deep concern he had for the people God had given him," Mason said. "Being a minister caused him to be moved to better the lives for people."

The community leader, whose father was a pastor in New York, devoted his time to fighting crime and drug addiction in black neighborhoods. He was a man of vision, Mason said.

Parson's vision brought a thrift store, a food bank, a counseling center and a Bible college to the church.

Parson's vision and a belief in his community also led him to tutor adults in reading classes, and to tutor students working toward their GED's.

The Bible college, which focused on spiritual ideas, also extended to teaching finance and budget responsibilities. Parson always took his abilities into the education realm, Mason said.

The University of New York at Oswego graduate came to Southern Nevada in 1951 and was stationed at Nellis Air Force Base.

It was in Las Vegas where he met Stella Mason. The two were married in February 1953. Together they devoted their lives to church and education. Both spent many years teaching in the Clark County School District. Their years of dedication led Clark County to name an elementary school in North Las Vegas after them.

Parson began his teaching career in 1955 teaching industrial arts at Madison Elementary School. In 1959 he moved to Martin Junior High School where he taught math and industrial arts. In 1967 he was the first teacher to be honored "Teacher of the Month" by the Las Vegas Rotary Club.

In 1969, he was appointed coordinator of the Clark County School District's Desegregation Program where he worked for three years. He retired from the school district in 1974 to become full-time pastor at Vegas View Church of God in Christ.

Parson was also a member of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, was active in the OEO Poverty Program and a member of the North Las Vegas Neighborhood Council.

"This man will be missed," Gerald Mason said. "There's a saying, 'If you take a bucket of water out of the ocean, it won't be missed." But this bucket of water will surely be missed. He was loved by all.'

In addition to his wife, Parson is survived by two daughters, Jacqueline Barker and Dr. Naida Parson, both of Las Vegas; five sisters, Zelda Mack of Philadelphia; Bertha Williams, Daisy Smythe, Lulu Mae Parson and Christine Parson, all of Schnectady, N.Y, and Audry Owens of Las Vegas; two brothers, James Parson of Albany, N.Y., and Richard Parson of Schnectady; and seven grandchildren.

Visitation will be 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday at Vegas View Church of God in Christ, 1906 Glider St. A memorial service will follow.

An additional service will be 11 a.m. Monday at Pentecostal Temple, 1117 N. F St. Graveside Services will be 11 a.m. Monday at Woodlawn Cemetery.

Arrangements were handled by Palm Mortuary, 1325 N. Main St.