Marlene Fay Parmele

Marlene Fay Parmele (nee Unwin) passed away peacefully May 30, 2026. Marlene was predeceased by her parents George Herbert Unwin and Margaret McCansh Unwin, as well as her husband of 40 years Harris Barnum Parmele, Jr, and her sister Donna Barling.

Marlene was born October 7, 1936, in Vancouver, BC (Canada), and graduated from Magee High School; she stayed connected with Vancouver friends, some from grade school, all her life. After high school, she moved with friends to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1958 at the age of 22. Marlene worked in medical insurance and met her future husband, Navy Ensign Harris Parmele there, where they fell in love in the backdrop of Waikiki Beach. They were married in 1959 and had their first daughter in Honolulu while Harris completed his military service. They stayed in Hawaii while Harris worked in hotel management with Sheraton Hotels on Waikiki Beach, then moved with Sheraton to Cincinnati, Ohio, then Portland, Oregon where their son was born.

They returned to Hawaii for two years before making the big move to the East Coast in 1965 to Glen Ridge, NJ. Harris worked for Metropolitan Life Insurance in Manhattan, and Marlene began her many years of volunteering while raising her children. Marlene was deeply involved in the Junior League of Montclair/Newark and the Women’s Club of Montclair. They were active members of Glen Ridge Congregational Church. Marlene and Harris made life-long friends during this time of their lives and enjoyed entertaining at their home.

They welcomed their second daughter in 1969, and Marlene continued her involvement in church and civic activities. As the children grew, Marlene took a part-time job, again in medical insurance.

Marlene moved with her family to Wellesley, Massachusetts in 1980, and then to New Canaan, Connecticut in 1984. She worked part-time in the church office of the New Canaan Congregational Church. She continued her volunteer work with the Junior League in Connecticut and volunteered with the Garden Club of New Canaan and the Encore Group.

Marlene’s dear husband Harris passed away in 1999, and she moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2002 to be near family; she enjoyed wonderful neighbors in Ivy Hall for the last 24 years. Once again, Marlene dove into volunteering and along the way made wonderful friends in the Assistance League of Charlotte, Symphony Guild, and at South Mecklenburg Presbyterian Church.

We will miss her laugh, her generous spirit, her warm heart and her stories of days in Hawaii. She loved her family very much and expressed that love often. Marlene enjoyed playing bridge and Mah Jongg, and, in fact, taught many people in Charlotte how to play Mah Jongg.

Marlene remained in her home in Charlotte until she passed, bringing caregivers into the home to assist her. Marlene leaves behind daughters Suzanne Bahr (Tim) and Stephanie Tulio (Tony), and son Jeff (Heather), as well as niece Lynn Wagner and nephew Tony Krisky. Her grandsons Ken Bahr and Kevin Bahr (Hanna) were a treasured part of her life, and she was thrilled to watch them grow up.

The family would like to especially thank special friend Terri Crawford, as well as the caregivers from First Light Home Care, for their dedicated and compassionate care for Marlene.

A memorial service for Marlene will be held Saturday August 22, 2026, at 1:00 pm at South Mecklenburg Presbyterian Church, 8601 Bryant Farms Road, Charlotte, NC, 28277.

 In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina online at SecondHarvestMetrolina.org, or 500-B Spratt Street, Charlotte, NC, 28206 (attn: Development Dept.).