Daniel Parsons

RICHFORD - Daniel "Dan" Parsons, a man of ingenuity, perseverance, and a deep love for the land, passed away peacefully at home with loved ones on March 14, 2025. Born on June 9, 1951, in St. Albans, Vermont, Dan grew up on the family farm in Richford, where he developed his lifelong passion for building, problem-solving, and working with his hands.

A self-taught thinker and creator, Dan was always designing new ways to work smarter, not harder. He had an eye for efficiency and a love for craftsmanship, whether he was constructing a house, a root cellar, a sugarhouse, or a bread oven (thank you, Scott Coons, for that inspiration!). With his longtime partner and wife, Pam Parsons, by his side, Dan brought countless projects to life, always striving to improve the process.

As a young man, Dan played basketball in high school and later applied that same determination to his work. He was introduced to metalwork and roofing by Roy McCallister, which sparked a lifelong career. Never one to settle for inefficiency, he sought out machinery to refine his trade and became the first person in Vermont to own a roll-forming machine. Through his roofing work, Dan crossed paths with many great people, weathering all kinds of conditions and projects.

Dan had a deep connection to the woods and the rhythm of sugaring. He started in the early 1970s with horses and buckets before moving to pipelines and building his own sugarhouse. Ever the innovator, he secured a grant to build a more efficient sugaring rig. In later years, he maintained a small backyard sugaring operation-just enough to keep the spirit of the season alive. He was also a steward of the land, building roads on his property and tending to his beloved sugar bush.

Always one to look for improvement in systems, Dan heated his home entirely with wood and engineered a 5,000-gallon water storage system, using wood heat to pipe warmth through his house. He had a deep curiosity for science, history, geology, and the natural world, always reading and sometimes writing his own jokes and humorous poems. He loved good company, good conversation, and a good party-often the last to call it a night.

At 14, he dreamed of having a basketball court. At 41, he finally built one on his property, a testament to his persistence and vision.

Dan was preceded in death by his son, Trevor Parsons, and his sister, Martha Haggarty. He is survived by his wife and longtime partner, Pam Parsons; his daughter, Emily Parsons, her husband, Jeff Smith, and their children, Indy Parsonsmith and Sage Parsonsmith; his daughter-in-law, Jen Parsons, and her children, Ewan Parsons and Matilda Parsons. He is also survived by his siblings, Chet Parsons, Susan Mazer, and Nora Parsons.

Dan's legacy lives on in the structures he built, the knowledge he shared, and the many lives he touched. A gathering to celebrate his life will be held on Friday, March 21, 2025 from 4-6:00 PM at the Goss-Spears Life Celebration Home, 96 Dickinson Avenue, Enosburg Falls, VT.

For those inclined, contributions in Dan's memory may be made to maintain forests and wildlife for future generations through: Cold Hollow to Canada, P.O. Box 406, Montgomery Center, VT 05471.

Condolences, photos and favorite memories may be shared through www.gossfs.com