Denis Wayne Parsons' Obituary
Denis Wayne Parsons, born August 28, 1937, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, passed away peacefully in Leesburg, Florida, on February 9, 2026.
Denis graduated from Fort Dodge High School in 1955 before joining the United States Air Force, where he was stationed at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas. During his four years of active duty, he discovered his aptitude for electronics, which became the foundation of his lifelong engineering career.
In the late 1950s, while studying Engineering in Omaha, Nebraska and working for Philco‑Ford, Denis was hand‑selected by Wernher von Braun to support NASA and JPL during the early space race. As a lead engineer contracted through Philco‑Ford, he played a critical role in helping build the worldwide tracking station network for Project Mercury and subsequent man‑in‑space programs.
In 1958–59, Denis moved to Melbourne, Florida as an RCA Sequencer Technician Engineer, where he operated instrumentation for Cape Canaveral and Down Range Stations, including tracking, telemetry, computers, and communications. His group, officially known as Timing and Firing, were proudly nicknamed “The Contract Gypsies,” of which Denis was an original member—one of only a few who remain today.
He was known as a dedicated “Range Rat,” working in the blockhouses for Mercury, Gemini, and numerous other manned missions. Buzz Aldrin once referred to Denis and others like him as the “Unsung Heroes” of the space race. Denis later traveled internationally to establish Troposcatter Satellite systems throughout the early 60s to 1969. He served as SAC/Strategic Air, held a Q‑Clearance, worked as a Cryptographic Decoder, and trained U.S. military personnel worldwide on satellite navigation.
During his travels, Denis met his wife, Longma Choongah, in Thailand. The two married and later returned to the United States in 1969, settling in Iowa before moving to Umatilla, Florida in 1979.
Denis worked for Waterman Memorial Hospital, where he served as an Engineer and later advanced to Vice President in 1987. While serving as Vice President, he earned his Business Management degree from Rollins College in 1988. He retired in 1989 and founded Parsons Support Services in 1992, securing major contracts across the United States and various Asian countries through Johnson Controls Worldwide Services. He continued to travel for business for over 26 years before fully retiring in 2006.
Denis and his beloved wife shared 58 years of marriage, remaining devoted to one another until his passing. He was stern but a true gentleman—always kind, generous, and quietly giving to individuals and charities, many of which shall remain anonymous. His family lovingly recalls that they “never wanted for anything.”
May he rest in peace with our Heavenly Father.
He is survived by his children:
• Yuthana Parsons
• Lahwan Parsons
• Mahlee Parsons (Papineau)
• David
He is also survived by his grandchildren:
Dalton Bryant, Amerasia Jarrett, Dakota Bryant, Doron Bryant, Isabelle Papineau, Desana Graham, Alden Papineau, Dash Williams, Edward Parsons, and Nora Parsons.
Denis is further survived by four great‑grandchildren, including one born just two days after his passing.
A Military Memorial Service will be held on Monday, March 9th, 2026 at 11:00 AM at Lakeside Memory Gardens in Eustis, Florida.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you give to someone in need or to your favorite charity, in honor of Denis’s lifelong spirit of generosity.
What’s your fondest memory of Denis?
What’s a lesson you learned from Denis?
Share a story where Denis' kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Denis you’ll never forget.
How did Denis make you smile?
