Thomas Jack Parnell's Obituary
Thomas Jackson “Jack” Parnell, whose golden voice graced the airwaves for over 60 years, first as a disc jockey and later as an announcer for thousands of commercials and voiceovers, passed away on the morning of Wednesday, April 26th at his home in Germantown, TN at the age of 84. Jack was born to Luther A Parnell and Allie L Parnell (née Curtis) in Tatumville, TN on August 24, 1938. Jack grew up in Nebo, TN and moved to Milan, TN with his family before attending Milan High School. In his senior year at the age of 17, Jack got his first radio job at WKBJ in Milan. The day after he turned 18 he married his high school sweetheart, Shirley L. Rauchle, also of Milan.
From there he went to work as a disc-jockey at WDXI in Jackson, TN where he was discovered by Wink Martindale who soon got him set up with a gig at WHBQ in Memphis. Jack hosted the morning drive-time show at 56 WHBQ AM from 1958-1971. From there he went to WMC AM for a couple of years. In 1973, Skip Wilkerson, another former WHBQ disc-jockey, asked Jack to join him at Wilkerson Sound Studio, which then became Wilkerson-Parnell Sound Studios. In 1982 he branched out on his own and formed Jack Parnell Enterprises doing voiceovers and production work from his home studio.
Jack did voiceover work for companies that included NASA, FedEx, Schering-Plough, Lockheed Martin, Kroger, Levitz Furniture, Merry Maids, Homer Skelton Ford, Smith & Nephew, and Medtronic. He was also the voice for Bill Dance Outdoors.
To many aspiring disc-jockeys and announcers, Jack Parnell was not only an inspiration but a mentor and coach. Ron Olson, the well-known Memphis disc-jockey, credits Jack with inspiring him to get into the radio business. Dave Brown, the chief meteorologist at WMC-TV Action News 5 and co-host of Memphis Wrestling for decades, credits Jack with convincing him to move to Memphis and getting him a job as a disc jockey at WHBQ.
An avid ham radio operator with the call letters K4BSI, Jack talked to folks all over the world, and every Christmas Eve for many years he would play the voice of Santa Claus for the children and grandchildren of ham radio friends. He attended many hamfests and was a member of ARRL, the American Radio Relay League, taking part in many ARRL Field Days over the years.
Jack was a 2015 Tennessee Radio Hall of Fame Career Inductee. He was also a member of the American Advertising Association and a winner of their Silver Medal Award, the Memphis Advertising Federation from which he won several awards, National Religious Broadcasters, and SAG-AFTRA.
Well known as an incredibly friendly, kind, and generous man, Jack exemplified what it meant to be a follower of Christ’s teachings. He was a member of Germantown Baptist Church where he served as a deacon for a number of years as well as the narrator for many Christmas programs.
Jack Parnell is survived by his beloved wife of 66 years, Shirley Parnell, his son, actor Chris Parnell of Los Angeles, daughter Cindy Howard of Memphis, his grandchildren Haley Howard, Damian Parnell, and Harry Parnell, son-in-law Brad Howard, daughter-in-law Natasha Parnell, sister-in-law Linda Parnell, nieces Charlotte Bursi, Debbie Childs, Sandra Crowley, Pam Heide, Michele Hoggatt, Gina Loftin, Theresa Rushing, and Mary Danna Seese, and nephews Carl Mims, August Rauchle, Glenn David Rauchle, Mike Rauchle, and Jerry Rauchle. He also leaves behind his two devoted caregivers Linda Payne and Laterria Gosa. Jack was predeceased by his parents as well as his sisters Lois Mims and Louise Crowley and brothers Buford Parnell and Bernard Parnell.
The service will be held at Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetary at 5668 Poplar Ave in Memphis, TN at 1pm on Wednesday, May 3rd, with visitation at 12pm. The service will be live- streamed at: http://webcast.funeralvue.com/events/viewer/87705/hash:3713CEFA33BBB717
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