In Memorial

This page is dedicated to the Men and Women Who Gave All to Help Their Community.

Lieutenant Allan D. Parsons - Med Care Ambulance

Farmington, ME - Over a thousand friends, family and public safety colleagues gathered on Thursday, July 12, 2007 to celebrate the life of Allan D. Parsons, who was tragically killed in the line of duty last week while doing what he did best, helping a neighbor during a time of need. The Funeral services were held at the Starbird Building at the Farmington Fair Grounds with full honors provided by the Maine EMS Honor Guard/Color Guard.

Allan Parsons was killed when the ambulance he was in the back of was struck by a pick-up truck on Route 4 in Turner. The driver of the ambulance was seriously injured and the patient that the crew was transporting received broken bones from the accident.

Public safety crews from all over New England attended the funeral held in Farmington, where Allan grew up. Ambulances and rescue vehicles from York County including Lebanon, Alfred, Waterboro and Wells lined the side of the fairground with nearly 100 others from all over Maine and New England. A color guard from Boston EMS made the 6 hour trip up to the funeral.

The family was escorted from the Funeral Home to the Farmington Fairgrounds where the celebration of Allan’s life was held. Police motorcycles from Lewiston and Auburn, Med-Care response vehicles and a Med-Care Ambulance carrying Parson’s casket followed by the family members entered the fairground and went around the circle of nearly a hundred ambulances, command vehicles, police cars and fire trucks there in a show of support to the Parson’s Family. When the procession came back around, several color guards from Maine EMS, police, sheriff’s departments and fire departments marched to the entrance. Pall-bearers unloaded the flag draped casket from the ambulance and proceeded into the hall. The color guards followed as a bag piper led the procession.

Dean Milligan, the Director for Med-Care Ambulance, where Allan was working when he was killed said “Future patients have lost such a wonderful man and an excellent paramedic. He was so skilled in so many different ways. We all understand that in Emergency Medical Services, we miss Christmas’s and birthday parties and often have to eat at midnight after we get back from a call. Sometimes life breaks our hearts. This shows the danger that the front line Emergency Medical Services providers face each and every day. To the Parsons Family, we will never end our commitment to your family.”

Family members got up to share memories of their father as well.

The youngest child Adam stood next to his dad and thanked him for all he had taught him. Adam was so upset that the minister had to continue his letter he wrote to his dad. The audience, visibly shaken by the letter and the emotions of the son, gave Adam a standing ovation when the letter was done being read.

Daughter Amy Parsons said “He was not only my dad, but he was also my best friend. He was always there for me. My dad loved to make people laugh.” Amy shared memories of a recent road trip in which her dad helped her move back to Maine from the South. Amy kept telling her dad which way to go, but never looked at the maps and ended up going through Rhode Island for quite some time. “Now I am glad we didn’t use the maps and I got to spend the extra time with my dad. My dad is my hero, he always provided for my family. He was always there for us, and he will always continue to be in spirit. I hope that one day I can be half the person my dad was. I hope when I have kids, they also think of me as their hero, as I did my dad.”

Josh Parsons, the oldest son, thanked the hundreds of public safety personnel for being there to honor his father. “My dad never gave up on me even through my hard times – he was my rock, my backbone. He truly cared for his community and his family, and we will all miss him.”

Patty Millikin, sister to Allan, talked about how she saw two shooting stars last night and knew that Allan was responsible for them, and watching over the family.

Today would have been the 5th Anniversary of Allan receiving his paramedic license.

Anne H. Jordan, the Maine Department of Public Safety Commissioner spoke on behalf of her department, Governor John Baldacci and the people of Maine. “The EMS family is amazing; they surround you with love and support not only today, but also the years to come.” Ms. Jordan and the Master of Ceremonies Ron Morin, from the Maine EMS Color Guard, presented the Parsons family with a flag.

Stephen Harrison from Monmouth Rescue told the audience about Allan and his dedication. “I learned from working with Allan how dedicated he was to helping people and how much he loved his family. Losing Parsons is a severe tragedy to EMS. We must continue on with Allan’s values.”

Other colleagues and friends shared stories about Allan, and his great sense of humor.

The minister talked about how Allan was born July 1, 1961, in Portsmouth, N.H., a son of John W. and Sally A Parsons. He attended Farmington schools, graduating from Mount Blue High School. He went on to attend Tri-County Emergency Medical Services Program for paramedic education, after being self-employed and at Bath Iron Works. Allan worked with the Monmouth Rescue, United Ambulance and Med-Care Ambulance services. He also volunteered with Wales Fire Department.

He was a member of the Monmouth Fish and Game and Maine Militia. He also served as Scout Master for the Boy Scouts in Monmouth and coached soccer and wrestling. This showed he not only cared for his family deeply, he cared for his community.

Allan enjoyed fishing, hunting, working as an EMT and paramedic, four-wheeling, motorcycling and scuba diving. Allan had recently brought his daughter, Amy, back to Maine from North Carolina and he was so happy to have the time to reconnect with her. His son, Josh, is in the process of joining the Army and Allan was delighted to see him take positive steps for his future. Allan has enjoyed spending time riding his ATV with his youngest son, Adam. He was very, very proud of his children. He was a true family man, not only embracing his own children, but his parents, siblings, nieces, nephews and friends. He always had a smile on his face no matter how difficult a situation he faced, and he always had time to help someone else. He touched many, many people and will be so terribly missed by everyone. The hole that Allan leaves is enormous, but anyone who ever had an opportunity to know him is a better person for it.

Allan is survived by his parents, John and Sally Parsons of Farmington; two sons, Joshua Parsons of Farmington and Adam Parsons of Monmouth; a daughter, Amy Parsons of Monmouth; a brother, Ralph Parsons and his wife, Tammy, of Farmington; two sisters, Patsy Milliken and her husband, Brian, of Falmouth and Martha McCarthy and her husband, Tim, of Hartland; several nieces, nephews and cousins.
The Maine EMS Color Guard presented the flag on the casket to the family.

At the end of the service, the casket was loaded back onto the Med-Care Ambulance. The hundreds of public safety personnel stood near there vehicles as the procession went by one last time. Two helicopters from Life Flight of Maine flew over head as the procession went around the fairgrounds.

"Ron Morin and everyone who helped plan this celebration of Allan's life did such a great job. It is important to remember and honor those who give their lives helping out our communities." Lebanon Rescue Assistant Chief Jason Cole added.

The funeral lasted three hours.