CHARLES PARSLEY

Former Southeast Missouri State University's men's basketball coach Charles Parsley, 71, of Las Vegas, Nev., died Wednesday, Oct. 1, 1997, at his home, from cancer of the esophagus.

He was born Oct. 13, 1925, in London, Ky. He and Edith Udell were married in 1949.

Parsley earned honorable mention All-American honors at Western Kentucky State College in 1949. After graduation he played three years of professional basketball in the NBA with Fort Wayne, Philadelphia, and Kansas City.

After winning three state championships as a high school coach in Nebraska and Wyoming, Parsley was hired at Southeast in 1958. He led Southeast to regional titles in 1962 and 1964, retiring in 1970. He ranks as the university's second all-time winningest men's basketball coach.

He then was head coach at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee before moving to Las Vegas, where he had resided 23 years.

Parsley served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II, and flew 52 missions.

Survivors include his wife; a daughter, Debbie McEvoy of Las Vegas; a son, Charles "Chip" Parsley of Vega, Texas; a brother, Ray Parsley of Hampton, Neb.; and two grandchildren.

Funeral service and burial was Oct. 4 at Palm Mortuary and Cemetery in Las Vegas.