Frank Ray Parris was born in Decatur, Alabama, the son of Frank Sr. and Shelby Smith Parris. He always had a fascination for space when he was young and he longed to be an astronaut or a fighter pilot. Frank did well enough in high school to pursue his dream of flying, he was voted “Most Intelligent” in his class, but his less than perfect eyesight did not cooperate and he had to adjust his goals. His drive to attend a military academy continued and he went through the process to earn a nomination from his Congressman. He was informed during this process that there was no nomination available for the Air Force Academy, but that there was a slot available at the U.S. Military Academy and Frank jumped at the opportunity. When he showed up at West Point on July 2, 1979 he brought his positive attitude and strong drive to succeed along with his favorite photograph of Laura, his future wife. They met during their senior year at Walter Wellborn HS in Anniston, AL after Laura caught his eye during a performance of the class play. Frank and Laura were inseparable from that point on, and that picture remained on his desk throughout his years at USMA. Shortly after graduation they were married on June 18, 1983 in Huntsville, AL.

During his four years at the United States Military Academy, Frank developed a large circle of friends through his ability to listen, laugh and help others through the challenges that we all faced together. There were many adventures in Pershing barracks with his I-2 classmates and at the annual Army-Navy games that will always be fondly remembered by his classmates, but perhaps not his Tactical Officer.

Amongst the many cadet activities, Frank really enjoyed the French Club and bowling. However, first and foremost, Frank loved to share his faith and friendship at weekly meetings of the Baptist Student Union. His calm demeanor and slow Southern drawl were the keys that gave Frank the ability to help people focus on the issue at hand. Frank’s character coupled with his keen insight in resolving problems made Frank a great friend and a good leader.

He took these leadership skills, and his new wife, to Germany for his first assignment with F Battery, 29th FA - Target Acquisition, 1st Armored Division.  Frank and Laura enjoyed their first years together during this quiet time in our military history. Franks other assignments included 2/78 Field Artillery in 1986, Staff & Faculty in the Field Artillery School in 1987. Frank resigned as a Captain in 1988 and joined the Reserves.

In 1988 Frank decided to leave the service, go back home to Alabama, and pursue his dream of working in some capacity with the space industry so he joined Teledyne Brown Engineering (88-98) and then Jacobs Technology (98-10) both NASA engineering contractors to pursue his new career. This career allowed Frank to realize, in part, his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut. During his initial years in the industry he supported Spacelab flights, and worked towards earning a Master of Science degree from the University of Alabama which he finished in 1993. He later became part of the NASA family at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, AL, and while there he helped to conduct many experiments aboard the International Space Station. As an operations engineer with a NASA contractor, Frank worked with scientists to develop procedures that would allow the Space Station crew to perform experiments in space. Before the crews left Earth for the Station, he helped to train them as they practiced conducting the experiments in simulators similar to the ones aboard the Space Station. These were some of the most rewarding experiences in Frank’s post-military career and he wanted to share them with other local students so that they could enjoy the thrill of outer space as they grew up. He also wanted to groom the next wave of NASA engineers by encouraging students to pursue their dreams. In order to accomplish this Frank took his years of experience, low-key style, and knowledge to local science fairs where he volunteered his time as a judge and spent time mentoring local students to encourage our future scientists and engineers.

In 1996 another very important event occurred in Frank’s life when he was blessed with a daughter, Abbey. She was followed a few years later by her younger sisters Sidney and Kelli. Frank’s girls were the light of his life and he often talked about how much joy they brought him.

Frank will truly be missed by those who knew him best. His gentle nature, keen wit and his love of having fun will always be remembered. The numerous students that he influenced in his efforts to promote science and engineering will also miss his guidance and positive attitude. He accomplished a lot during his life, and many others will continue to benefit in their lives as a result of having known him. May he rest in peace.

“Coming from Alabama, Frank excelled in all aspects of Cadet life, especially weekends…He will be remembered as a wild and great friend.”—1983 Howitzer