Fr. Samuel Tyson Parsons O.P.

Fr. Samuel Parsons O.P. died October 4, 2011 at Mercy Care Center in Oakland at the age of eighty. Fr. Parsons was a Dominican priest of the Western Province. He was professed in 1952 and ordained to the priesthood on September 21, 1957 at St. Dominic Church, San Francisco. A third generation San Franciscan, he attended St. Mary’s Elementary, St. Ignatius High School, L’Institut de la Touraine in Tours, France (where he first encountered the Dominicans), and Stanford University, before entering the Order of Preachers. Post-ordination, he earned degrees from St. Albert College, Oakland, the Pontifical University of St. Thomas, Rome, the Pontifical Commission, Rome, Ecole Biblique et Archeologique Francaise, Jerusalem, and received his Doctorate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas, Rome. As Professor of the New Testament, Fr. Parsons taught at St. Albert College, Oakland, Dominican School of Philosophy and Theology in Oakland and Berkeley, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, Mount St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, University of San Francisco, College of Notre Dame, Belmont, Queen of the Holy Rosary College, Mission San Jose, Pontifical University of St. Thomas, Rome, University of San Francisco St. Ignatius Institute, and Beda (English College), Rome. Suffering from ill health, he retired in 1999 and became Professor Emeritus of DSPT and GTU, Berkeley. In 2002, he was appointed Chaplain of the Dominican nuns at Corpus Christi Monastery, Menlo Park CA where he also taught Sacred Scripture classes. Fr. Parsons leaves behind a legacy of more than 35 years of teaching Sacred Scripture to priests, religious, and lay men and women from many different countries. Through his work, he helped foster the growth and development of future leaders of the Church in European and Third World countries, as well as promoting theological understanding to innumerable students of the North American College in Rome and in California colleges and universities. Fr. Parsons was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Katherine Parsons, and his sister, Nancy Jane Sturgis. He is survived by his sister’s children. The Vigil will be October 11 at 7:30pm at Corpus Christi Monastery, Menlo Park and the Funeral Mass is October 12 at 10am at St. Albert Priory, Oakland, with burial to follow at St. Dominic Cemetery, Benicia.

Fr. Samuel Tyson Parsons O.P.

July 23, 1931 - October 4, 2011