RIP Seth Parent



Wow. I'm just stunned. Anyone who has had anything to do with community theater in St. Cloud in the past 20 years has worked in some capacity with Seth Parent. And I am sure there are many people who drive around here who saw him riding around on his custom 3-wheel motorcycle with the quarter-barrel beer kegs as gas tanks.

Seth always got the bad guy roles. Well, just look at him, the dark eyes, the goatee, the dark hair... he also had a love of medieval weaponry and a penchant for magic. He made a great bad guy. But he also had a funny, intelligent part that we all got to see in rehearsal and read in his writing.

When he wasn't acting he worked. When I first met him he was working as a skinner at the Long Prairie slaughterhouse. He had to quit when his wrists just couldn't stand the strain anymore, I don't think anyone had thought of carpel tunnel syndrome back in those days. So he left the glamorous world of the abattoir for the bindery at Quebecor. I didn't know that he also judged high school speech competitions, I learned that by reading his obituary.

He died in his sleep last Friday, the 7th of September at the age of 50. That's only 7 years older than me. I guess we'd all like to go quietly in our sleep (well, most of us, anyway). I'm in a state of shock, that happens anytime someone I know dies, especially someone who was a colleague.

I wouldn't call Seth a friend, we were in some shows together and we attended a lot of the same cast parties, but we didn't hang out and we weren't buds. But that doesn't mean that his death doesn't have an effect me. We had a very good working relationship based on trust and reliability, we each knew that the other knew his job and would do it to the best of their ability. You never had to worry about Seth, he was a professional.
Seth D. A. Parent, 50
Gallatin, TN
formerly of Little Falls
July 10, 1957 - Sept. 7, 2007

Seth D. A. Parent previously of Little Falls Minnesota, passed unexpectedly in his sleep September 7th 2007. Seth was born July 10th 1957 in Foley Minnesota to Mary Joan Parent and Murray Xavier Parent. He graduated from Foley High School and attended St. Cloud State University. He was employed by Quebecor in St. Cloud until his recent move to Gallatin, TN. Seth was actively involved as a performer in St. Cloud Community theatre, and served on the board of directors for Troupe Theatre Company, and County Stearns Theatrical Company. He was an active and respected judge of High School Speech throughout the state of Minnesota. Seth also enjoyed participating in the annual March of Dimes Haunted House fundraiser.
Seth is preceded in death by his father Murray Xavier Parent.
Seth is survived by his wife, Chas (Gallatin, TN); son, Murray Jerome (St. Cloud); step children, Justin and Jolene (Little Falls); Additionally survived by his mother, Joan (Foley); sister, Joellen (Minneapolis); brothers, Sean (Foley) and Sam (Winona); numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. He will be dearly missed.
Memorial services will be announced at a later date.

Rest in Peace, my friend.

Comments

Mike Sawin said…
Wowzers. Seth and I were pretty close for a while. He tried to get me to be on the theatre boards, but I wasn't interested in the politics part of it all.

Seth was an actor's actor. Like you said, you never had to worry about him.

Seth was my good friend, a fellow artist and speech judge, and one of the most genuine people you'd ever want to meet. I never saw him treat anyone in a duplicitous manner or say anything behind someone's back that he hadn't already said to their face.

And just four years older than me. He died far too young.
rutimizrachi said…
I am in shock, and in pain.

Greg L'Esprerance and I drove across America to visit our friend Seth in 1978, I think. Seth was a remarkable young man, full of geekiness and drama and sweetness. I was glad to call him my friend. Seth Damian Abednego Parent, Esquire (as he called himself then), sported a top-hat, a black silk cape (with a red lining), and a black pearl earring. And an amazing, slightly wicked, but always fun smile. Gawd, we three friends loved each other. I lost track of both of them... but back then, we three fairly geeky individuals were dear friends. So much so, that when my son, Josh, came into the world, and had certain rather theatrical tendancies, I was able to reassure his dear father that he would be okay. Josh is very much like my old friend, Seth.

Dang, Seth. I looked for you, Bud, on line, to see how things turned out for you. And only now, as you leave the world, do I hear about your success. You made family. You had a wife and a child, and step-children. How I wish I could hear your story. I am proud of you, that you became "yourself." You became the actor you always wanted to be. I wish I could have told you how many times knowing you saved my kid's life. Josh is so much like you. His father never would have tolerated the black pearl earring (so only I knew that he had his ear pierced). He was "Dr. Drama." Had we been friends, during his high-school years, you would have reminded us, with your overbite smile, that he was just fine. Better than fine, perhaps. I don't know why God took you out of the world so young. I don't know why you and I weren't given the privelege of sharing our familes with each other. But I am glad to hear that you "became yourself." Your famly should be proud of that.

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