Robert Parrish

ROBERT DALE PARRISH was born on October 23, 1942 in Racine, Wisconsin. Our dear friend, husband, father, brother, and uncle passed away on Thursday, September 18, 2025 in Palm Springs, California. He was the sixth of seven children born to Carlton and Mildred (nee: Peek) Parrish and was the last sibling in his family to pass away at 82 years of age. He is survived by his daughter, Heather (nee: Parrish) and her husband Bruce Glisch of West Allis, Wisconsin, in addition to many nieces, nephews, and friends near and far.

Robert lived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin until 2012 when he moved to the deserts of Palm Springs, California to soak up the sunshine and begin a new chapter on life after retirement. He loved to travel the continents of the globe by sea and boarded too many cruise ships to count, making lasting friendships along the way.

Robert was a very handsome man. He took immense pride in his appearance and was often the best dressed man at social gatherings. His homes in Milwaukee and Palm Springs were like walking into museums.

Robert received his education and earned his cosmetology certification in local Wisconsin schools. He practiced his profession for over 50 years, was a member of the Wisconsin Hair Fashion Committee, and served many long-standing clients well into their 80’s and 90’s. His clients included some of the most prominent women in the City of Milwaukee.

Robert met his wife, Lynne (nee: Bertelsen), in high school and they were married for over 20 years. Robert, Lynne, and their daughter, Heather, enjoyed many memorable years together.

Thirty-five years ago in Milwaukee, Robert met his life partner, Richard Steele, and they were married in Palm Springs in 2014. They were together until Richard’s passing in 2017. It was in Milwaukee that they began their philanthropic endeavors and became staunch supporters of the LGBTQ community and the fight against AIDS. Robert participated in the AIDS Walk every year, and with the assistance of many generous friends, clients, and family members, was one of most significant collectors of individual donations to both the Milwaukee and Palm Springs AIDS organizations, including providing free barber services to Desert AIDS clients after his retirement.

Connecting with friends and family on a daily and weekly basis was key to Robert’s livelihood, which included ongoing bonds with elementary school classmates. Robert was a social butterfly who participated in many community organizations and made arrangements daily to go to the movies, the theatre, meet for lunch/dinner, or have a cocktail with friends. His social calendar had few openings right up to the day of his passing. He kept the greeting card companies in business honoring each holiday, birthday, and anniversary, and wrote personal thank-you notes often.

Memorial Services in Robert’s honor will be held on Saturday, December 6, 2025 from 11:00-12:00 pm at: Forest Lawn – Cathedral City, Ramon Chapel, 69855 East Ramon Road, Cathedral City, CA 92234

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held the same afternoon from 1:00-3:00 pm at the home of Sergio Rodriguez and David Henbest located at 2995 East Orella Circle, Palm Springs, CA 92264.

Memorials can be made in Robert’s name to: The Trevor Project, PO Box 69232, West Hollywood, CA 90069

“WHAT A WONDERFUL LIFE”