Mark Parris

Mark William Parris
September 9, 1956 – November 14, 2021

Anyone who was lucky enough to know Mark Parris knows he could do anything he
tried.

Born to Doris Charlene Lacy and William Claude Parris in Chattanooga, Tennessee on
September 9, 1956, he came into this world with a love of nature, hunting, and fishing.
As a boy, he spent every moment he could with his dad, whether in the beauty around
Tellico Lake in Tennessee or in Bill’s shop, watching him bend neon. It was there that
Mark learned to work with his hands.

When Mark was 10, his mother moved him and his sister, Jenise, to Sacramento,
California. He naturally excelled at fixing and building things, which lead to him
becoming an ASE-certified technician — which is lucky because both Doris and Jenise
called him regularly to get out of car issues (that they had usually caused).
His natural talent took him to Palm Springs, California in the 1970s where he worked as
the foreman of the Mercedes dealership.

After years of customers appreciating his
mechanical genius, he decided to try opening his own business. Unsurprisingly,
Mercedes Plus, which he ran out of his home for two decades, was a great success.
When he wasn’t tinkering on cars, he loved bass fishing and spending time in Glamis,
California. People knew him by his big yellow truck, sand rail and three-wheeler.

Mark was also deeply devoted to his family. He had his first son, Matthew Parris, in
1983 with Kathy Kenoyer Fleming. He went on to have Aimee Parris (1988) and Aaron
Parris (1989) who he lovingly raised as a single father. In 2010, he moved to
Chattanooga to care for his ailing father until the end of Bill’s life.
Mark died of natural causes on November 14, 2021. He is survived by his mother, sons,
daughter, sister, niece and two grandchildren. Not to mention his two beloved dogs. He
is, and always will be, dearly missed.