Carl Denton Parish, M.D.'s Obituary
With profound sorrow, we announce the passing of Dr. Carl Denton Parish, who died on December 20, 2025, at the age of 98. While our hearts are heavy with loss, we celebrate a long and extraordinary life defined by love, humor, and grace.
Carl was a man of remarkable intellect and professional achievement. He served his community as an accomplished physician for 45 years, holding roles as a family practitioner, a psychiatrist, and an emergency room doctor. He was the Chief of Medicine at St. Bernardine’s Hospital, and Chief of Psychiatry at Community Hospital. A proud WWII veteran, his strong faith guided his life and work. Yet, beyond his impressive career, he will be remembered most for the deep love he fostered in his family and for his brilliant, enduring wit.
His legacy is the close-knit family he created with the love of his life, his late wife, Chrysanthe Bangal, a military nurse whom he met during the war. He is survived by his six devoted children, ten grandchildren and all their spouses and partners, three great-grandchildren, and by his older brother, Marion Parish. He also leaves behind his beloved guide dog, Nelson.
Raised on a farm in Kentucky, Carl's first ten years of schooling took place in a one-room schoolhouse. He skipped two grades and graduated at 16. That summer he worked as a house painter for 25 cents/hour and saved enough money for his pre-med classes. As soon as he was old enough, he joined the Army Air Corps. Following the war, and after completing medical school, Carl and Chrysanthe settled in San Bernardino, CA, where they became members of St. Elias Greek Orthodox Church and raised their family.
In his busy family practice, Carl became a generational doctor, often delivering the children of babies he had brought into the world years before. Despite his demanding schedule, his time off was entirely devoted to family fun, marked by spontaneously planned road trips, visits to amusement parks, a dude ranch, and late-night grunion hunting at the beach.
At 50, he experienced loss of vision, eventually becoming completely blind. He adapted with such grace and resilience that for years, many acquaintances did not realize he was visually impaired. A familiar sight in Sun Lakes, he walked 10 to 15 miles a day with his guide dog Nelson, who he described as a “total chick magnet.” Well into his late 90s, he remained intellectually vibrant, continuously listening to lectures on tape and offering impromptu, erudite talks on a vast array of subjects.
He possessed deep compassion and empathy that made everyone he interacted with feel truly seen and heard. He will be remembered for his boundless kindness and wisdom, qualities that led people to describe him with heartfelt phrases like, “He is the kindest man I’ve ever known,” “He saved my life” or “He was a wonderful man.”
Carl recently summed up his life saying:
“Considering where I started from and how little help I had along the way, I did better than I had a right to expect. I got everything I ever wanted. I had a wonderful marriage and raised a family I loved. I did good in people’s lives and made a difference. I’ve always tried to do the best thing for the person right in front of me. I’m happy with my life.”
What’s your fondest memory of Carl?
What’s a lesson you learned from Carl?
Share a story where Carl's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Carl you’ll never forget.
How did Carl make you smile?
