In Loving Memory of Bill Parish

Bill Parish, a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and industry legend, passed away on Sunday, December 7th, 2025.

Charles William “Bill” Parish, Jr. was born in Jackson, Tennessee on March 22, 1947. At age five, he and his family moved to Florida. Bill attended Edgewater High School in College Park, Orlando while spending the summers at his mother’s family farm in Corapeake, North Carolina.

Bill discovered his lifelong passion for photography at age 12. Ever the dedicated and creative spirit, Bill fashioned a dark room from a shed at his family’s home in Orlando. In high school, he won a national photography award from Parade Magazine and later studied photography at the University of California, Santa Barbara and the Brooks Institute.

Bill’s legacy behind the camera was as expansive as it was distinguished. After college, he started a photo studio on Virginia Avenue in Orlando, where many budding professional photographers began their career. Some major accounts included Florida Tile, Ivey’s, Florida Hospital, Rollins Collins, and numerous Orlando ad agencies.

He worked as an assistant to photographer Ansel Adams, where he learned patience and attention to detail. Bill’s work spans The Smithsonian and the Winter Park Library, with film and photography credits for Disney, NASCAR, Guinness, over 300 hospitals, and countless colleges and universities (with a brief stint shooting for soap operas in Los Angeles).

He met the love of his life, Maryann, working at The Apopka Chief Newspaper where he wrote a humor column aptly titled “Cheese Grits.” The two had an idea for a publication and marketing business tailored to higher ed; at the same time, Bill had the idea to marry Maryann. She preferred to first wait and see how the whole “company” thing worked out.

In July of 1987, Bill and Maryann founded the higher education marketing company BME Communications, Inc., later known as The Parish Group. The two wed the following year on September 17, 1988.

During his time on earth, Bill was playful and full of life, with enough “Billisms” to fill a book (and its corresponding content warnings). He could make those around him belly-laugh to the point of tears, while offering those brought to tears a listening ear. He enjoyed traveling the world, cooking intricate meals, and, above all, capturing the beauty of the human experience–across campuses, countries, and continents–through the lens of his camera.

Bill spent the last years of his life with his family and successful business in Asheville, North Carolina, or in his words, “The Center of the Creative Universe.” A mentor and “uncle” to many, Bill’s legacy of excellence, care, and sincerity carries through on the shoulders of higher ed “dorks” at The Parish Group, where, through his fiercely warm spirit, he turned vendors and customers alike into friends and family.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Maryann Parish; his step-son Eric Bryan and daughter-in-law Katharine Bryan, his two grandchildren William “Betts” Bryan and Sarah Katharine “Kate” Bryan, and his dog Riley.

Though he will be missed by many, mother of pearl, what a life he led.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity in Bill’s name. The family will announce a celebration of Bill’s life in the months to come.

Stories & Memories

Where to start? So many memories.

I’ve known Bill for most of my adult life. His love and passion for people is what stood out the most. He cared deeply for those around him and would always offer words of encouragement when you were down, or celebrate your accomplishments, big or small.

His door was always open. If you needed someone to talk to, or had a complex problem to discuss, you had his attention.

Fiercely loyal to our partners. He strived for perfection and insisted that we provide the very best service and consultation. His name was on the door…It was personal and everyone knew it.

A wildly creative person, but with an eye for detail that was unmatched. A devoted husband to Maryann, with a quick wit, infectious smile, full of quirky sayings, genius with a camera, world traveler, lover of life and generous to all. He was one of a kind.

He was my mentor, business partner, kind soul, amazing friend and only a few knew, my father.

I love you BP.

—Eric Bryan

When I first started in this industry, Bill saw something in me I didn’t yet see in myself. He was incredibly supportive in both my professional and artistic endeavors, and truly became like a second father figure to me.

He brought so much spark and laughter to our team, and oftentimes lead me to tears from laughing so hard. I’ve always felt so lucky to have found The Parish Group at the time in my career that I did. That vigor to continue his legacy of excellence is renewed.

Love you so much, Bill!

—Julia Dozier

I spent many years at Campbell with Bill on campus photo shoots and projects. He always brought a great sense of humor, a fantastic work ethic, and a tremendous willingness and excitement to go the extra mile. Heck, he’d give students a ride to class on his golf cart. Bill will truly be missed here at Campbell. He was a staple of this place. Felt like an honorary alum.

—Anonymous

When Bill visited campus, he carried joy with him. His smile, his spirit, and his deep passion for higher education were instantly felt by everyone around him. He had a remarkable way of making us feel as though we were his only client, in fact, maybe his favorite college of all time! The moment he stepped onto campus, he became part of our community, and through his lens, he captured the very best of who we are. Bill was not only kind; he was a visionary. Long before personalized marketing and recruitment materials became industry standard, he was leading the way with creativity, intuition, and innovation. And in a world where vendor companies often merge and grow simply for growth’s sake, Bill and The Parish Group chose a different path. They have remained independent, specialized, and unwaveringly dedicated to authentic, personal relationships with their partner institutions. I held deep respect for Bill, his work, his wisdom, and the heart he poured into everything he touched. To me, he will always stand at the top of his field. His impact is lasting. His legacy is legendary.

—Tracey Sheetz

I have many memories of Bill but I’ve always enjoyed the chats we would have. From our “hEEllloOOoo” greeting to the silly and random stories we would share, there was never a dull moment.

—Anonymous

From the moment I met Bill, he was endlessly encouraging and genuinely kind. He was always open to new ideas, something I truly loved. Working with him was always fun because he had this effortless way of making everyone laugh and feel at ease. I’ll always smile thinking of his cheerful “Mother of Pearl!” whenever something delighted him. I hope he’s now somewhere with endless reasons to say it. I’ll miss you, Bill.

—Mikaela

I will remember two things most vividly about Bill: #1 – His ability to command and conduct a photo shoot and get exactly what he wanted without visible effort. For many years I rode the golf cart with him as he and Meredith shot the campus. Many times I would ask him “Did you get what we need?” and he would just look at me – I knew in my head he was saying “Of course I got what we need…do you think I’m some rookie”…without saying those exact words. Sometimes he actually said those exact words, though :). #2 – His genuine desire to partner with the institution. He wasn’t just there to take pictures. He was there to tell the story, to find the essence of the institution and then to convey that through photos – and he was the best.

Lastly, I think the times that Bill shared stories of his personal life through photography stand out the most. When he and Maryann went on vacation, he took some incredible photographs that he would share with us when he was on campus with us. You could feel his love for Maryann and his passion for his craft at the same time. He was a bit surly and very opinionated…and I loved that about him! He was also INCREDIBLY talented. He will be greatly missed and my thoughts are with everyone at The Parish Group. RIP BP!

—Jamie Legg

I met Bill when I was a very green marketing professional during the inaugural year of Campbell University’s medical school. I reached out to Bill asking for assistance with photography as part of his contract with CU, and he immediately said yes and took me under his wing. He was a mentor and trusted colleague from day 1 and very quickly became a true friend. His professionalism, candor, wit and hospitality made an indelible mark on my life. He helped make our marketing and communications efforts something we were proud to call ours through his amazing photography as well as his mentorship. My career and life’s journey were blessed because of Bill Parish.

—Sarah Bowman

I’ll always remember Bill for his quiet kindness. When I was a broke kid and couldn’t afford to get my engine parts out of the shop, he didn’t hesitate. He just paid the bill. This was about 35 years ago but it helped shape the way I step up for people today when I can. Kind and generous man.

—Anonymous

Bill was a one-of-a-kind and a legend in my opinion. He will be greatly missed, but he built a legacy that will live on! I first met Bill when I was working at Florida Southern. He was always searching for the perfect shot, and he somehow seemed to always find it! He was incredibly dedicated, professional, and passionate. And his partners/clients LOVED him. I was always amazed at how he could manage so much and do it all so incredibly well. The end product was always what you imagined. We worked on many campaigns together, and anytime he and Meredith were in town, we always had a great time. I even had the pleasure of working for Bill on a short-term project at Campbell. Love you, Buddy, and Godspeed my friend!

—Brad Parrish

During his lifetime, Bill Parish impacted so many people. If you would like to, please share your favorite memory of him.