By Rebecca Goodman
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Mr. Parchman

ANDERSON TOWNSHIP - During the 1960s and 1970s, Parchman & Oyler Realtors signs were a familiar part of the landscape of Greater Cincinnati.

William J. Parchman, one of the founders of P&O, died Tuesday at his farm in Ross Township. The Anderson Township resident was 83.

He and Clark Oyler of Covedale founded the firm in 1949, and by the time they sold it to Coldwell Banker in 1981, it was the biggest agency in Cincinnati.

Mr. Parchman "cared a lot about people," said his son, Kenneth Parchman of Symmes Township. "I think he was probably the epitome of somebody who believed in the Golden Rule."

P&O sponsored the Grid Kids of Greater Cincinnati, a youth football program coached and directed by Harry Goedde for 30 years. More than 20,000 youngsters participated in the program, whose motto was: "No boy will ever be cut from a team and every boy who has a desire to play, will be given a chance."

Mr. Parchman grew up in Winton Place and graduated from Hughes High School in 1938.

He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1942 and received a degree in meteorology from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1943. He was a meteorologist with the 8th Air Force in England during World War II.

After the war, he graduated from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law and was admitted to the bar in 1949.

Mr. Parchman's greatest joy was his farm, Kiata Farms Inc. He delighted in raising registered Angus cattle that won many show awards. Kiata has been recognized as one of the leading Angus operations in Ohio.

Mr. Parchman organized the Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter in Cincinnati.

He was also chairman of the board of Winton Savings & Loan Co., serving as director for more than 50 years and director of the Cincinnati Metropolitan Housing Authority for 18 years.

He was a past president of the University of Cincinnati Alumni Association and chairman of University of Cincinnati Foundation. He was president of the Cincinnati Board of Realtors, the Miami Valley Angus Association and the Ohio Angus Association; a charter member of the UC Black Blazer Society; a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity and Sigma Sigma, an honorary society; and president of Clovernook and Coldstream country clubs.

He was also a Mason and a member of Scottish Rite and Syrian Temple Shrine.

He was married to Josephine Ector Parchman, with whom he had two children, from 1943 until her death in 1974.

In addition to his son, survivors include Yvonne Morr Parchman, his wife of 27 years; a daughter, Kathy Storm of Jacksonville, Fla.; two stepdaughters, Lauren Morr of Westwood and Lysa Meyer of Milford; a stepson, Richard Morr of Anderson Township; five grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.

A family funeral will take place Saturday. Burial will be at Spring Grove Cemetery.

Memorials: University of Cincinnati Foundation, P. O. Box 19970, Cincinnati 45219-0970.

E-mail rgoodman@enquirer.com