On the evening of April B, 2015, Michael Jerome Parrish was called home after a brief hospitalization. Michael was born on July 15,1945 in Baltimore, Maryland to the late Viola Ware (Montague) and George Parrish. Michael received his education at Edmondson High School in Baltimore. It was there that he met and later married the former Cassandra Patterson, and out of this union two children were born, Raquel and Andrea. Immediately after high school Michael enlisted in the United States Marine Corps as a Personnel Admin Chief. His tours of duty took him all over the world including Okinawa, Japan and Hawaii and two tours in Vietnam. Among his medals are the Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and National Defense Service Medal. He also earned a Presidential Unit Citation. Upon his release from active duty, Michael returned to Baltimore where he encountered hardships assimilating back into civilian life. Years later, after joining the Maryland Center for Veterans Education and Training (MCVET) program, he dealt with his issues and even became a mentor helping other veterans get back on their feet. He started taking courses at various schools including Coppin State and the University of Phoenix. We discovered recently that he was studying for the real estate exam. At the time of his illness, he was working for Aramark at Northrup Grumman in Linthicum, Maryland. Everyone that knew Michael, knew just how intelligent he was. He was a reader and a thinker. He was a mathematician and artist. He liked to take apart things and put them back together. He was a private person but very vocal about two things: his love of the Baltimore Ravens and the Marine Corps. He also truly loved his family. He leaves to mourn: his daughters, Raquel Parrish and Andrea Turner; one son-in-law, Craig Turner; four grandchildren: Terrell, Auriel, Taylor and Chinel; three great-grandchildren; Cori, [uelz, and Jacyeon; and a host of family, friends and coworkers.