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Phyllis Wright Parash, a longtime resident of Southampton, and more recently of Sag Harbor, died on September 7 at Southampton Hospital of complications from myelofibrosis and acute leukemia. She was 61.
Born in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, on September 3, 1947, she was the daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Kenneth B. Wright. In 1950, the Wright family moved to Southampton, where she attended Southampton schools. After high school, she married Douglas Goodale and moved with him to New York City, where she gave birth to her son, Brian Kenneth Goodale.
During her time in New York, she worked for an architectural firm, John Carl Warnecke, and a law firm, Kramer Levin, before returning to Southampton in the mid 1970s to become the co-owner and manager of East End Computers with her son Brian. Consulting privately with clients in the computer and real estate fields, she became one of the first computer-savvy individuals on the East End in the 1980s. Her Hampton Road store was frequented by many prominent East End writers who were just beginning to become computer literate, including Craig Claiborne, Linda Bird Francke, Joseph Heller, Joe Pintauro and others with whom she developed close friendships.
In 1997, she married Paul Parash, the co-owner of Sip N’ Soda in Southampton. After selling her business, she worked for the Southampton Association as well as other private clients. She and her husband moved to Sag Harbor, where they were well known for hosting soirees at the Madison Street home she loved, attended by their wide circle of friends.
According to her sister Elizabeth, “Phyllis was the best cook and hostess I’ve ever known.” She attracted people because of her infectious enthusiasm for life, family said this week, and will be remembered for her love for her large and close family; her loyal friendships; her passion for music and singing; and her fierce determination and indomitable spirit.
The family illustrated her spirit by recalling a birthday celebration for one of Mrs. Parash’s granddaughters who was turning 2, at which Mrs. Parash, age 60, executed a perfect cartwheel on the beach.
She and her husband were avid readers, and both were members of a play-reading group and a book club. She also loved warm climates and owned a beachfront home in San Pancho, Mexico, where she and many of her Southampton friends enjoyed vacationing.
Predeceased by her husband, Paul, she is survived by a son, Brian Goodale and his wife Helen of Sag Harbor; two brothers and their wives, Kenny and Megan Wright of Southampton and Douglas and Robin Wright of Massachusetts; three sisters and their husbands, Penelope Wright and her husband Wayne Grothe of Southampton, Dorothy and Michael Reilly of Southampton and Elizabeth and David Beier of Virginia; and three granddaughters, Lindsay Siefert, Taylor Goodale and Fionnuala Goodale.
Also among her survivors are three stepsons, Paul, Nicholas and Mark Parash; a half-sister, Suzanne Klein; seven nieces, Sarah Reilly, Hope Reese, Genna and Ellis Beier, and Lianna, Georgia and Bella Wright; and four nephews, Colin Reilly, Spencer Wright, Alex Reese and Grady Klein.
Visitation will be held today, Thursday, September 11, from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m., at the O’Connell Funeral Home in Southampton. A private memorial service is planned for a later date.
In lieu of flowers, donations to the Phyllis Wright Parash Memorial Fund, John Jermain Library, 201 Main Street, Sag Harbor, NY 11963 would be appreciated by the family.
on Sep 8, 2008