William James “Parky” LaFayette, 93, of Pikeville, TN passed away on August 7th, 2026, in the comfort of his home with his wife Starr and loving family members at his side. Parky, a longtime member of Pikeville Methodist Church, lived a remarkable life filled with dedication to his family, friends, community, and country.

Born September 13, 1932, in Chicago, IL, he was the youngest of eight children, the son of Minnie Elizabeth and Lewis Anthony LaFayette. A proud veteran of the United States Marines Corps, Parky served as a Tank Sergeant during the Korean Conflict. His time in the military instilled in him a deep sense of discipline and a strong work ethic that he carried throughout his life.

He married his first wife Marguerite “Marge” Dorothy Shaw in 1954, and from this union they had the “4 J’s” (his children Julie Ann, Jean, Jennifer, and Jim). Parky and Marge began a tool and die business in their basement in Cary, IL. In 1966 they moved to a farm in Woodstock, IL, raised Charolais cattle, and co-owned Country Models Tool and Die in Crystal Lake, IL. He was part of a wonderful lifelong gang of friends that were family. No occasion was too small for a party, and as Parky always said, “If we don’t have fun nobody does!!” In 1975 they moved to Lake Ozarks where they owned LaFayette’s Restaurant along with the Dock Company. In 1981 Parky moved to Rico, CO and managed the Rico Hotel. In 1985 he moved to Florida and managed Pride of the Point Marina. A jack-of-all-trades, Parky did construction and stone work in both Phoenix and southern California. While in California, at a Bible Study group, Parky met the love of his life Starr Bullis Phillips. They moved to Pikeville, TN and in 1993 they were married.

Parky coached his nephews in youth football in Chicago, played semi-pro football with the Racine Raiders, and enjoyed football his entire life. He was a member of the Moose Club, the American Legion, Tennessee Cattlemen’s Association, and earned his Auctioneer Certification. In every home he lived in he built a beautiful fieldstone fireplace, including at the Rico Hotel. He created an ice-skating rink in a field on the farm in Woodstock and built ponds on the property at Lake of the Ozarks and in Pikeville. Parky was instrumental in the creation of Pikeville Water Company, bringing water to Bledsoe County from Pikeville north to the Cumberland County line, a transformative achievement that improved countless lives. He was the mastermind behind the Bledsoe County Veteran’s Park in Pikeville, which is a tribute to those who served our country and a testament to his unwavering respect for veterans and their sacrifices.

Parky was a man with an incredible work ethic and boundless energy. His passion for raising cattle would not allow him to sell his Angus herd until he was 91 years old. He cherished the simple joys of life like driving along back roads, telling stories of his life’s adventures, and spending time on the front porch with his beloved wife Starr and their friends and family. To Parky, there were no strangers, only friends he had yet to meet.

He is survived by his beloved wife Starr, his children Julie Ann Coyne (Kendall), Jean Harris (Michael), Jennifer Bolton (John), Jim LaFayette (Andrea), Meg Pienkowski (Dave), Kellady Bledsoe (Mikey); as well as 15 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren. Preceding him in death were his 7 siblings, stepson Rick Phillips, and Marge.

Parky leaves behind a legacy defined by hard work, community service, and love… he always said, “See you later” but never “Goodbye.”

Parky’s family invites everyone to celebrate his life at Pikeville Methodist Church, 7 Methodist St., Pikeville, TN 37367 at 11o’clock on Saturday, August 22nd, 2026.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation (t2t.org). The Tunnels for Towers Foundation provides mortgage-free smart homes and housing support to catastrophically injured or fallen military service members, first responders, and their families.