William Parent

William F. Parent, 74, of Middletown, Rhode Island, died peacefully on January 14, 2025, surrounded by family and friends after a ten-year battle with Parkinson's Disease.

Born in Lewiston, ME on June 3, 1950, Bill was the son of Robert and Anna (Bendtsen) Parent.

After graduating from Lewiston High School, he went on to college at Tufts University, earning a Bachelor's Degree in Engineering. Bill is survived by Susan (Swan), his wife of forty-nine years. Their family includes daughters Katie (Chris) Adams of Newport, RI and Kimberly (Will) Jason of Belmont, MA; grandchildren Molly, Teddy, and Lucy; and brother, Bob (Mabel) of Lafayette, CO. He leaves behind several nieces and nephews. His sister, Muffet Dulac, predeceased him.

Bill's career as a civil engineer and project manager spanned forty-five years and included large power plants in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Colorado, and The Netherlands; renovation of an historic Connecticut train station; expansion of the Mystic Seaport Museum; university laboratories; a massive pharmaceutical plant; and a riverfront restaurant in New York City. He was admired for his strong work ethic, honesty, and ability to work with well with everyone. For many years, Bill shared his love of construction and expertise at his beloved Tufts University, where he spoke about project management to engineering students.

Bill loved spending time with his daughters and their families. As a father, Bill spent time playing sports with and coaching his daughters. Always interested in their education, he tutored them in higher level math and edited their stories and papers. He was fond of the numerous trips they took as a family. As a grandfather, Bill enjoyed playing with the children in the pool and at the beach, going to museums, traveling to Disney World, and reading books to them.

A true outdoorsman, Bill was an avid gardener, biker, hiker, skier, body surfer, swimmer, and fly fisherman. Bill frequently gave wildlife presentations at the Appalachian Mountain Club in the White Mountains. Always a terrific athlete, Bill played football, baseball, softball, and soccer. But, his love was ice hockey, which he played with enthusiasm into his sixties. Bill enjoyed music, art, board games, reading, writing, traveling, and home renovation projects. In retirement, he wrote a short novel, "Riding with the Loup," about two boys from Maine who come of age in the 1960s. He always made an effort to stay connected with family and lifelong friends.

His fun-loving personality, infectious laugh, and zest for life will be remembered and greatly missed by his entire family and many close friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held in the spring.

Please consider making a donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.